The magistrate of the National High Court (AN) Santiago Pedraz has decided to indict the former head of the Economic and Fiscal Crimes Unit (UDEF) of the National Police, José Manuel García Catalán, as well as another agent of the same force, within the investigation into alleged irregular inquiries against Podemos leaders attributed to the leadership of the Ministry of the Interior during the government of Mariano Rajoy (PP).
According to a ruling first reported by "eldiario.es" and to which Europa Press has had access, Pedraz has upheld an appeal filed by the former general secretary of Podemos, Pablo Iglesias —who has joined the case as an injured party— and has set for next June 25, at 10:15 a.m., the appearance of García Catalán and the other police officer as investigated parties.
The judge is trying to clarify whether inquiries were carried out outside of judicial proceedings and of a prospective nature on Podemos officials by former high-ranking officials of the Ministry of the Interior and the National Police.
The head of the Central Investigating Court based in Plaza 5 opened proceedings after admitting for processing a complaint filed by Podemos for alleged crimes of criminal organization, misappropriation and disclosure of secrets, administrative prevarication, and document forgery.
The party also filed the complaint for embezzlement and for a crime against the institutions of the State, but the investigating judge finally dismissed these two criminal offenses, considering that they could not be fitted into the described facts.
In the complaint, Podemos maintained that the defendants —under the alleged leadership of the then Secretary of State for Security— "were engaged in carrying out prospective investigations unrelated to any police interest, not under judicial or Public Prosecutor's Office control, on the individuals who made up the political organization."