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Spain: Catalan president placed under investigation for 2014 independence referendum

Associated Press
The President of Democratic Convergence of Catalonia Artur Mas listens to a question during a joint news conference with the president of the Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya, Oriol Junqueras, and the leader of the Catalan party "Junts pel si" Raul Romeva in Barcelona, Spain, Monday, Sept. 28, 2015. Secessionist parties that want Catalonia to break away from Spain were set Monday to embark on tough political negotiations aimed at giving them a majority in the regional parliament so they can push forward an independence plan. The threat of Catalonia breaking away from Spain has dominated the country's political scene for the past year but Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy rejects any possibility of Catalan independence as unconstitutional. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

The President of Democratic Convergence of Catalonia Artur Mas listens to a question during a joint news conference with the president of the Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya, Oriol Junqueras, and the leader of the Catalan party "Junts pel si" Raul Romeva in Barcelona, Spain, Monday, Sept. 28, 2015. Secessionist parties that want Catalonia to break away from Spain were set Monday to embark on tough political negotiations aimed at giving them a majority in the regional parliament so they can push forward an independence plan. The threat of Catalonia breaking away from Spain has dominated the country's political scene for the past year but Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy rejects any possibility of Catalan independence as unconstitutional. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) (The Associated Press)

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MADRID – Acting Catalan regional President Artur Mas has been placed under investigation by a regional court for his role in staging a referendum on independence last year.

The announcement Tuesday came two days after the "Together for Yes" pro-independence alliance headed by Mas won 62 seats in Catalonia's 135-member parliament — six short of a majority. Mas had promised to go for secession if they had achieved a majority.

Catalonia's regional justice department said Mas is to appear Oct. 15 for questions concerning the Nov. 9, 2014, independence referendum called by him. The plebiscite was held despite having been suspended by the Constitutional Court.

Prosecutors accuse him of disobedience, abuse of public funds, prevarication, usurpation of powers and obstructing justice. Two other associates are also under investigation.