Along with Bandic, investigating judge Zdenko Posavec also remanded in custody the management board chair of the Zagrebacki Holding multi-utility conglomerate, Slobodan Ljubcic, CIOS industrial waste removal company's co-owner Petar Pripuz, Bandic's advisor Zeljko Horvat, ZET public transport company director Ivan Tolic, who was authorised to stand in for Ljubicic, Zagrebacki Holding procurement department head Ivan Markusic, Zagrebacki Holding public procurement officer Filip Cule, Cistoca urban sanitation company director Miljenko Benko, Bramgrad Projekt construction company director Branko Mihaljevic, Bandic's associate Vidoje Bulum, Bandic's chief of staff Miro Laco, and the secretary general of the Zagreb Sports Association, Zdenko Antunovic.
The judge granted Pripuz's request to be released on 7.5 million kuna bail, but he will nonetheless be transferred to a prison in Zagreb's Remetinec neighbourhood where he will stay until the relevant procedure is completed.
Four other persons arrested as part of the investigation were released after they presented their defence to the judge.
Judge Posavec's decision is not final because all suspects have three days to appeal against it as well as against the decision on the launching of the investigation.
The hearing at which the judge had to decide on the suspects' detention started around 1pm and the judge first listened to USKOK's arguments, which was followed by a presentation of arguments by the suspects' attorneys.
USKOK charges Bandic with a number of corruption-related crimes in which he is considered to be the link between all suspects, with the exception of two suspicious hirings, for which Ljubicic is reportedly responsible.
In all the alleged crimes, the Zagreb mayor is suspected of defrauding the city which he has been running for 12 years, except in a case related to his 2009 presidential campaign, in which he is suspected of defrauding the state budget by not paying taxes on donations received during the campaign.
The prosecution contends that the financial damage totals around 20 million kuna.
The mayor is also charged with illegal activities in business cooperation with the CIOS company and Bramgrad Projekt. He is also suspected of influence peddling in the illegal hiring of persons close to him at the city government and Zagrebacki Holding, as well as of the unlawful use of official cars for private purposes.
Bandic's lawyer Kresimir Krsnik said before the hearing that Bandic would not resign, calling on the prosecution to publish facts about the crimes he is charged with. He particularly criticised USKOK's allegations about irregularities in the financing of the election campaign, stressing that donations were not subject to taxation.