By DPA
Paris : A French judge Wednesday ruled that there was enough evidence to open an investigation against former president Jacques Chirac for corruption, a spokeswoman for a Paris court said.
Following several hours of questioning Wednesday, judge Xaviere Simioni placed Chirac under formal investigation on the charge of embezzlement of public funds.
In France, to be placed under investigation is a formal judicial step that could lead to charges being filed.
The case dates back to Chirac’s time as mayor of Paris, from 1977 to 1995, and concerns the use of city funds to pay the salaries of people not working for the city.
In Chirac’s case, it concerns a chauffeur working for a senator of Chirac’s former party, the Rally for the Republic (RPR).
French daily Le Monde in its online edition reported Wednesday that Chirac’s signature was on a contract stipulating that the chauffeur was on a mission for the city, which was not true.
The case is one of several corruption affairs in which Chirac has been implicated. However, while serving as president, from 1995 to May this year, he benefited from constitutional immunity and could not be investigated for any crime.