Extradited banker detained in Thailand: Police

A fugitive banker arrived in Thailand after his extradition from Canada and was remanded in custody today on charges of embezzling millions of dollars, a police spokesman said.
    
Indian national Rakesh Saxena landed at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport late last night and was whisked away under heavy security to a police station where he underwent six hours of intense interrogation, the spokesman said.
    
Saxena is accused of embezzling US$52 million from the Bangkok Bank of Commerce, which collapsed in 1995. He fled to Vancouver and was arrested in July 1996 at the request of Thai police.
    
He lost his 13-year fight against extradition when Canada's Supreme Court refused to hear his case on Thursday and within hours was transferred to Thai authorities and put on a plane to Bangkok.
    
"Early this morning he was taken for interrogation at the Crime Suppression Division after a team of police doctors examined him and agreed that he was fit both physically and mentally," major general Pongsapat Pongcharoen said.
    
Pongsapat said Saxena had denied all the allegations against him.
    
Saxena appeared in court in a wheelchair and said that he needed medical treatment. The court remanded him in custody for 12 days on condition that he was kept in the jail hospital, officials said.