Police sources indicated Monday that they have sufficient evidence to bring criminal charges against Shas Knesset member Yair Levy.
Although there was no official announcement, the information was passed on to the media after Levy was questioned by detectives for about an hour in Jaffa on Sunday.
Levy is believed to be suspected of handling forged checks in his former capacity as director-general of El Hama’ayan, the educational and cultural institution of the Orthodox Shas party, according to sources. But there has been no police confirmation of that.
The probe of his conduct is part of a broader investigation involving top-ranking Shas officials suspected of mishandling funds. The state attorney recommended last month that charges be brought against Interior Minister Arye Deri, who is alleged to have illegally channeled government funds to favored Shas institutions.
Levy has accused Police Chief Ya’acov Terner and his top officers of bias and of “leaking” information about the investigation to the press.
The Knesset member recently returned from the United States, where he went in March as a guest of the U.S. Information Agency. When he failed to return home after his official tour, the authorities feared he absconded to avoid questioning about his activities as a Shas official.
But Levy produced evidence that an illness forced him to extend his stay in the United States and seek medical treatment.
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