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Indian embassy knew Rajan planned
to flee Thailand: lawyer

An official 'working in the Indian embassy here knew that there was an arrangement to offer a bribe to the Thai police' so that Rajan could slip out of the hospital, Sirichai Piapichetkul, Rajan's lawyer, told AFP.

Rajan slipped out of the hospital on November 24 after paying police officer Major General Kriekphong Phukprayoon 25 million baht ($586,000) to let him escape unnoticed, Sirichai said.

Kriekphong has denied accepting a bribe from Rajan.

Rajan was facing a bid to extradite him to India where authorities want him to stand trial on 17 counts of murder and other mob-related charges.

Sirichai refused to name the Indian diplomat who was privy to the bribe, saying "I can't tell you his name otherwise he will run away and I will be in deep trouble."

The lawyer, however, said that the Indian diplomat would appear if the National Counter Corruption Commission investigated Kriekphong.

"If the NCCC looks into bribery charges against Kriekphong, he (the diplomat) is willing to testify," Sirichai told reporters.

Thai police on Wednesday warned Sirichai that the diplomat must be prepared to appear at any hearing, not just a NCCC meeting.

An internal investigation into the Rajan matter has already been set up, Kriekphong said, adding that the Indian diplomat should speak to the panel in case the NCCC decide not to launch an investigation.

Sirichai however has said that the internal investigation would just allow the police to cover up the bribery charges and that anyone who appears before this panel would then be targeted for reprisals.

New Delhi has revoked Rajan's passport on the grounds that his travel documents were not in order and he was under provisional arrest in Bangkok.

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