Spanish PM’s former right-hand man detained in corruption investigation

Santos Cerdan's alleged criminal activities put Pedro Sanchez's government under pressure to call fresh elections

A former senior official in Spain's ruling Spanish Socialist Workers' party (PSOE) has been remanded in custody by a supreme court judge investigating corruption allegations that have put the country's centre-left government under unprecedented pressure.

Santos Cerdan, who served as the PSOE's organisational secretary and was the right-hand man of the prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, quit earlier this month after a judge found firm evidence" of his possible involvement in taking kickbacks on public construction contracts.