Calin Georgescu, the former far right presidential contender who was supposed to renew his bid for the state’s top job, was taken in by police on Wednesday for questioning at the General Prosecutor’s Office, judicial sources told AGERPRES.

Georgescu was stopped in traffic by police who had a warrant on his name.

American influencer Mario Nawfal shared on X a video of the moment when Georgescu was pulled over by police. When presented with the arrest warrant, Georgescu’s driver tells the law enforcement that he has a non-lethal weapon on him.

The prosecutors conducted on Wednesday morning 47 searches in the counties of Sibiu, Mures, Timis, Ilfov and Cluj, in a case related to the financing of the former front-runner’s electoral campaign, the establishment of an organization with a fascist, racist or xenophobic character, as well as the promotion of the cult of persons guilty of genocide.

The investigation is also targeting Georgescu’s close associate Horatiu Potra, leader of a mercenary group that operated in Africa.

According to a statement from the Prosecutor’s Office, investigations are being conducted in this case for actions against Romania’s constitutional order, failure to comply with the weapons and ammunition regime, unauthorized use of pyrotechnics, public incitement; initiating or establishing an organization with a fascist, racist or xenophobic character, as well as joining or supporting such a group.

Investigations are also being conducted into the public promotion of the cult of people guilty of crimes of genocide and war crimes, as well as the public dissemination of fascist, legionary, racist or xenophobic ideas, conceptions or doctrines, initiating or establishing an anti-Semitic organization, as well as joining or supporting such an organization, false statements regarding the campaign financing sources, communication of false information.

AGERPRES