A relative of Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela has been appointed to head the inquiry into allegations of political interference in the police force, the PN said today.

MaltaToday revealed yesterday that footballer Daniel Bogdanovic was released from police custody soon after he was arrested in order to play a football match following pressure from an unspecified ministry official.

An internal inquiry is being held about the matter. The police force falls under Dr Abela's ministerial remit. 

Addressing a press conference, Shadow Justice Minister Jason Azzopardi said the person conducting the internal inquiry, former AFM brigadier Carmelo Vassallo, was married to the sister of Carmelo Abela’s wife.

Dr Azzopardi asked how Mr Bogdanovic, who was arraigned in court last Monday on domestic violence charges, was released from police custody a day before in order to play in a Gozo league football game.

He questioned if Mr Bogdanovic was released on police bail, and said releasing a person on police bail during the 48- hour arrest period was not normal.

Dr Azzopardi asked if Mr Bogdanovic spoke to any witnesses involved in the domestic violence case, and whether any evidence was tampered with.

He said the inquiry had been compromised from the word go with the appointment of a relative of the minister in charge of the police force.

PN deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami said the police force was proving itself to be toothless in the face of corruption.

Dr Fenech Adami emphasised the fact that the Police Minister had appointed a relative to scrutinise the same police force that he was politically responsible for.

On the recent spate of car bombings, Dr Fenech Adami said organised criminal gangs were operating with impunity, with the police making little headway in their investigations.

In a reaction, the Labour Party said it was ironic and hypocritical of Dr Fenech Adami to comment in the way he did, while investigations are underway into how police investigations into money laundering by a company were shelved when his name cropped up as a director, at the same time when he was 'politically responsible' for the police force. 

Dr Fenech Adami, like Dr Busuttil, lacked credibility and could not be taken seriously, the PL said.