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Ex-defence minister probed in French kickbacks scandal

Former French defence minister Francois Leotard has been placed under formal investigation in a probe into an arms corruption scandal dating to the 1990s, a source close to the inquiry said Tuesday.

Francois Leotard (R) becomes the second former minister to be placed under formal investigation, a status roughly equivalent to being indicted, after ex-premier Edouard Balladur

Leotard, 75, was questioned on July 4 over suspected "complicity in abuse of social assets," the source said, confirming a report in Canard Enchaine, the satirical and political news weekly.

Leotard becomes the second former minister to be placed under formal investigation, a status roughly equivalent to being indicted, after ex-premier Edouard Balladur.

The probe centres on a web of corruption behind the 1994 sale of submarines to Pakistan and frigates to Saudi Arabia, with suspicions that kickbacks went to fund Balladur's presidential bid in 1995.

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The investigation is being carried out by the Court of Justice of the Republic (CJR), a court specially set up to probe cases of ministerial misconduct.

Magistrates are also probing whether a 2002 Karachi bombing that killed 11 French engineers was revenge for the cancellation of bribes secretly promised to Pakistani officials.

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