The Jerusalem Magistrate Court on Thursday afternoon, 23 Elul, extended the remand of two Beit Shemesh suspects including one senior City Hall official. They stand suspected of diverting a transportation tender for special education children in the chareidi city.

Beginning Erev Shabbos, they will be released to house arrest until Sunday.

The suspicion is that the city council member worked with the second detainee appointed as a paid consultant for this purpose, in order to divert the terms of the tender in favor of a transportation company which, according to the police, did not meet the required conditions.

Yesterday, as mentioned, the senior official at the municipality, a representative of one of the largest chassidic courts, was arrested, and the investigation, which took a long-time undercover, became overt. The investigators arrived at the Beit Shemesh municipality building, searched the place, took documents with them – and also the city official who was taken to detention.

Last night, as reported, the other suspect, identified by the police as “intermediary” in the suspicious transaction, was arrested.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)