By IANS,
Tehran : At least 31 people have been arrested and another 67 questioned for alleged involvement in a $2.6 billion embezzlement case in Iran, a top official has said.
Prosecutor general Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei is investigating the embezzlement case, Xinhua reported.
Iranian media said there were a number of governmental officials and famous businessmen involved in the case. Nearly $2.6 billion were swindled from several banks in more than two years by the Amir Mansour Aria company, whose owner took advantage of some governmental recommendations to purchase assets of government companies, including a steel production company.
The prosecutor general said that since some government officials were being questioned in the case, the judiciary is under some political pressure. However, it would not affect the investigation, he said.
Lawmakers filed an impeachment motion Sunday against Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance Shamseddin Hosseini over the scandal. The motion, signed by 28 lawmakers, called on the minister to attend parliament to be questioned.