New turn in the 'Leire Díez case': the first judge of the case hands over the investigation to the National Court in its entirety

The first judge who opened an investigation in Madrid for the 'Leire Díez case' has indicated to remit the case related to alleged maneuvers by the former socialist militant against judges, prosecutors and Guardia Civil commanders to the National Court judge Santiago Pedraz, who from now on, will fully assume the initiated investigation.

In a ruling, Arturo Zamarriego, investigating judge, accepts the request for inhibition that Pedraz had proposed, thus handing over his proceedings to the National Court instructor, who is investigating an alleged plot to thwart judicial cases affecting the PSOE and the Government supposedly led by the then 'number three' of the party, Santos Cerdán, and coordinated by Díez. Pedraz had requested to unify the case arguing that the facts investigated in the Madrid court are closely related to the National Court's investigation.

For his part, Zamarriego, head of Plaza 9 of the Instruction Section of the Madrid Court of Instance, came to charge Leire Díez, businessman Javier Pérez Dolset and journalist Pere Rusiñol, due to an alleged participation in a "coordinated" plot to "gather compromising or irregular information from commanders of the Central Operative Unit (UCO) of the Guardia Civil and the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office."

The judge observed indications that Díez, Dolset and Rusiñol were trying to obtain, through this "compromising information," the possibility of "annulling or thwarting" judicial investigations in "relevant cases" that could affect politicians and businessmen. All this, after two complaints filed by prosecutors Ignacio Stampa and José Grinda, with whom Díez would have met to ask for information in exchange for economic compensation.

On the other hand, the case opened in the Plaza Castilla Courts began with a complaint filed by Hazte Oír for a meeting in which Díez would have offered favors to businessman Alejandro Hamlyn, investigated for hydrocarbon fraud, in exchange for information. In addition, in the order resolving the inhibition, the Madrid investigating judge also indicates to suspend a procedure for dumping a "recording support" from prosecutor Stampa.

For this reason, Zamarriego grants five days to the Provincial Prosecutor's Office of Madrid to decide whether to annul an appeal it filed against a decision by the instructor of Madrid, who had agreed to await an expert acoustic report to resolve the inhibition. Finally, in a written statement, the Public Prosecutor's Office positioned itself in favor of Zamarriego handing over the case, stating that the facts investigated in the Audiencia Nacional, "are broader," there are "more investigated parties," and their legal classification "would be of greater seriousness."