Czech president halts legal proceedings against hip seller

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2008

PRAGUE (AFP) — Czech President Vaclav Klaus has blocked criminal proceedings against a man suspected of offering the head of state's hip for sale on the Internet, his office said Thursday.

Premysl Donat faced criminal investigation for fraud after Klaus' hip was offered for auction on the internet at the end of June, soon after the president underwent a hip replacement operation.

"The President of the Republic decreed that criminal proceedings should not begin," Klaus' office said.

The Prague hospital which carried out the operation denied there was any chance that the hip had gone missing and could be put up for sale.

Donat helped put police on his track when he approached Czech newspapers offering them exclusive interviews with the seller of the hip, media reported.

© 2008 AFP