The tradition involves freshmen students prostrating themselves in front statues of King Rama V and VI.

Komkrit Rattanawong said he had been assigned by Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan to file a defamation suit and a claim under the Computer Crime Act against the four, two of whom he said were military officers.

The lawyer also presented police with photos of Facebook posts and Line chats as well as information on CDs.

The four allegedly implied on Facebook and in Line messages that Sudarat was behind opposition statements made by Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal, a political science student recently elected as president of the Student Council at Chulalongkorn University, against the tradition.

The lawyer also quoted Sudarat as saying that she did personally know Netiwit and did not support his position.

The posts were aimed at creating hatred, so people should be careful when reading, posting and sharing such information, the lawyer said.

Police said they were gathering evidence before deciding how to proceed with the case.

Sudarat served as a minister in various positions under Thaksin Shinawatralinked governments. She and other Thai Rak Thai party executives were served a fiveyear ban on political activity in 2007 when the party was dissolved.