Prague, Oct 14 (CTK) – The police released former Czech interior minister Ivan Langer, who was detained on Tuesday along with other people in a corruption and abuse of power case, after several hours of questioning, his defence counsel Tomas Sokol confirmed to CTK yesterday.
After the release, Langer told public Czech Radio that he was not accused and that he had no idea about the role he played in the case. He refused to further comment on the case since the police investigation was underway.
According to media, the police have revealed an extensive clientelistic network of officials from several public administration institutions, police officers and businesspeople. They suspect several high police officers of influencing the investigation into some cases and leak information to suspects for money.
The case is allegedly connected with real estate deals and subsidy programmes.
No one has been accused in the case yet, Olomouc High Attorney Ivo Istvan told CTK yesterday, adding that house searches continue in Prague and Olomouc.
The police have released no details about the detained people so far.
The police detained Langer, former deputy head of the right-wing Civic Democrats (ODS) and former MP, in his house in the centre of Olomouc and took him to a police station for questioning last night. They also seized a number of documents in the house.
Langer is being investigated on the basis of wire-tapping recordings of the phone calls, in which some Olomouc policemen spoke about him, the Neovlivni.cz Internet daily wrote, referring to a house search permit.
The UOOZ detectives did not mention a particular criminal offence of which Langer is suspected in an 11-page document, the daily said.
The UOOZ has long been monitoring Langer over financial transfers connected with the Sevetin solar power plant, south Bohemia. However, his detention is allegedly motivated only by the activities of the Olomouc security forces, the Internet daily wrote, adding that neither Sevetin nor an other photovoltaic plant are mentioned in the house search order.
It ensues from the wiretapping that Langer was in touch with current and former police, including those from elite squads.
Policemen and state attorneys from the Olomouc High State Attorney’s Office, supervising the case, left Langer’s house after more than 13 hours.
Detectives from the police organised crime squad (UOOZ) intervened on suspicion of corruption not only in Olomouc, but also in Prague on Tuesday. They focused on businessman Ivan Kysely, Langer’s acquaintance.
Karel Kadlec, deputy chief from the Olomouc regional police directorate, was allegedly also detained.
Besides, detective intervened at the Olomouc Regional Office.
Olomouc Regional Governor Jiri Rozboril (senior government Social Democrats, CSSD) did not come to his office yesterday and he cancelled his programme after a police questioning, Regional Office spokeswoman Kamila Navratilova said.
According to unofficial information, the police are also interested in Radek Petruj, from the regional police directorate, Tomas Ulicny, from the Olomouc section of the General Inspection of Security Forces (GIBS), criminal police office head Milan Pospisek and anti-corruption police deputy director Jiri Jach.
Police President Tomas Tuhy told reporters on Tuesday that the operation also focused on one of the regional police directorates and a national squad operating under the Police Presidium.
hol/dr/kva
