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Thai police file defamation charges
over Chhota Rajan bribe claims

Sirichai Piyapichetkul, Rajan's lawyer before he slipped out of the country where he was awaiting extradition to India on a range of criminal charges, said 25 million baht ($586,000) had been paid for his safe passage.

Rajan reportedly called Sirichai after escaping under the noses of seven officers who were supposedly guarding him at the Bangkok hospital where he was being treated for gunshot wounds.

Immigration Commissioner Police Lieutenant General Hemraj Thareethai said his department, which has borne the brunt of the bribe allegations, had investigated its eight two-star generals and found none was implicated.

Four of them had filed charges against Sirichai and the rest would register their claims later in the day, he said.

"I confirm that I am innocent, the authorities can check my bank accounts," said Kriekphong Phukprayoon, one of the senior police officers in the department. "I would not sacrifice my position for a 25 million baht bribe," he added.

Sirichai vowed to prove his allegations, which are now the subject of a police investigation that began on Monday and is expected to wind up in a week. "I will fight this charge and I have evidence in the form of documents, taped conversations and witnesses," he told AFP.

Thai deputy police commissioner General Sant Sarutanond demanded Sirichai hand over details of his allegations and evidence to support his claims to the National Police Office.

He said police would also carry out a thorough search of the houses of the officers who had been on duty at the time of Rajan's escape and examine their relatives' bank accounts.

He admitted that the junior policemen - who have now been sacked - had accepted money from Rajan but that the sums amounted to only a few thousand baht.

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