A group of self-proclaimed defenders of Buddhism on Monday lodged a complaint with the Department of Special Investigation against Somdet Phra Maha Mangkalajarn in connection with the vintage Mercedes Benz car scandal.
Leader of the group of about 20 representatives, Mrs Somboon Puenthong, told the media that the group wanted the DSI to file charges against the senior monk, also the acting supreme patriarch, for giving false statement to authorities about the vintage luxury car.
She claimed that her group had closely followed up the scandal and thought that the monk, also known as Somdet Chuang, possessed the car with full knowledge that it was not properly taxed.
The car actually costs 4 million baht but was declared as costing only one million baht, said Mrs Somboon, adding that the senior monk should be held accountable for tax evasion in his capacity as the car owner.
Pol Maj Woranan Srilum, director of Special Cases Centre, promised to pass on the group’s complaint to the DSI chief for acknowledgement.
