Anti-corruption prosecutors have started criminal prosecution against Elena Burlan-Puscas, judge within Bucharest Tribunal and asked for her arrest. Judge Puscas is charged with bribe taking. She is the wife of former football player Marcel Puscas, who also ran for the Romanian Football Federation top position.
DNA claims the judge has received a total sum of ERU 50,000 during 2009-2010 from four defendants in other files, with two of them having been investigated for attempted first degree murder. The judge would have received the money to replace the preventive arrest against the two defendants with the ban to leave their residence city, which has actually happened. However, the rulings have been rejected by other courts.
Investigators also say that the judge has pronounced sentences on probation in 2010 for all defendants in the file.
„However, at the appeal in December 2010, the Bucharest Court of Appeal has abolished judge Puscas’ ruling, and pronounced prison sentences for the authors of the attempted first degree murder. They were sentenced to 8 years and 7 years and a half in prison,” reads DNA press release.
The Superior Council of Magistracy has Okayed the DNA’s request for preventive arrest against the judge.
The name of judge Elena Burlan-Pușcaș has been related to several high sounding files over the time, such as the file where doctor Serban Bradisteanu was acquitted for abuse of office and for receiving undue benefits, after he had been accused of getting EUR 4.5 M as bribe in the case of a public sale to equip the penitentiary hospitals.
In retort, her husband, ex-footballer Marcel Puscas said „there must be a vendetta against magistrates”, as the case against his wife comes from somebody’s accusation, while adding his wife is innocent.