Supreme Court returns Félix A.C. case to El Vendrell

Spain's judicial council said that Supreme Court judge Vicente Magro had returned a criminal case against Félix A.C. to El Vendrell. The former Altafulla mayor faces a case over alleged prevarication.

Magro ruled that the Supreme Court's Criminal Chamber could no longer lead the inquiry or hear the case. Félix A.C. lost his seat in Congress when general elections were called. That also ended his special court status, known as aforamiento.

Why the case changed courts

Aforamiento meant that the Supreme Court had to handle the case while Félix A.C. was an MP. Once that status ended, the judge said the lower court could resume the inquiry.

The case will go to the Investigation Section of the El Vendrell Court of Instance. Court of First Instance and Investigation No. 4 will handle it.

That court had earlier sent a formal request to the Supreme Court. It asked the higher court to take the case because Félix A.C. then had aforamiento.

Magro has now sent back his order and the full case file from the special process. The inquiry will continue in El Vendrell under the law.

The order decides which court is in charge. It does not settle the alleged offence. The case remains open and no conviction has been reported.

Source: Consejo General del Poder Judicial.