Rodrigo Bacellar, president of Alerj, is arrested by the Federal Police in RJ

The President of Alerj (Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro), Rodrigo Bacellar (Union), was arrested preventively by the PF (Federal Police) this Wednesday (3).
The legislator was the target of Operation Unha e Carne, which combats the actions of public agents involved in the leak of confidential information that culminated in obstructing the investigation conducted within Operation Zargun, responsible for the arrest of state deputy Thiego Raimundo dos Santos Silva (MDB), TH Joias, in September.
At the time, TH Joias was the target of two simultaneous operations (Bandeirante and Zargun). However, police teams did not locate the deputy at his residence in Barra da Tijuca, nor in his office at Alerj. He was only arrested hours later in a high-end condominium also located in Barra.
CNN Brazil learned that Bacellar was called for a meeting with the PF superintendent in Rio, Fábio Galvão, and ended up being arrested. The deputy is currently testifying at the PF Superintendence in the city of Rio de Janeiro.
In addition, agents are carrying out search and seizure warrants authorized by Minister Alexandre de Moraes of the STF (Supreme Federal Court) at the deputy’s residence and at Alerj. In his decision, Moraes states that ‘the Federal Police highlighted in their representation the existence of evidence demonstrating the leaking of sensitive information from Operation Zargun, through active and deliberate actions aimed at perverting justice and concealing evidence, promoted by former congressman ‘TH Joias’ and his associates.’
Furthermore, according to the Supreme Court judge, ‘the facts described by the Federal Police are very serious, indicating that RODRIGO DA SILVA BACELLAR would be actively acting to obstruct investigations involving a criminal faction and actions against organized crime, including influencing the state Executive Branch, capable of intensifying the risk of ongoing criminal activity and improper interference in the investigations of the criminal organization.’