Călin Georgescu remains in preventive custody following Bucharest Court of Appeal decision
The Bucharest Court of Appeal upheld the DIICOT's appeal and maintained preventive custody for Călin Georgescu, who is accused of fraud and forming an organised criminal group.
Bucharest Court of Appeal rejects transition to house arrest for Călin Georgescu
Călin Georgescu remains in preventive custody at the Central Police Detention facility in the Capital, after the Bucharest Court of Appeal upheld, on Friday, 23 October 2026, an appeal filed by DIICOT prosecutors against a previous ruling by Bucharest Tribunal. According to Cotidianul.ro, the court annulled the ruling through which preventive custody had been replaced with house arrest.
The case is being investigated by DIICOT and concerns the former candidate in the presidential election for forming an organised criminal group and fraud with particularly serious consequences. Businessman Ionel Rusen is also being investigated in the same case. According to public information, the case involves a sum of 1.1 million euros, allegedly obtained through fraud from a businessman.
Timeline of decisions on the preventive measure
Călin Georgescu was placed in preventive custody on 29 September 2026, through a final ruling of the Bucharest Court of Appeal, for a period of 30 days. The measure had been ordered after the same court upheld an appeal by DIICOT against a judicial supervision previously set by Bucharest Tribunal.
On 13 October, Bucharest Tribunal upheld Georgescu's request to replace preventive custody with house arrest. The judge cited the personal circumstances of the defendant: lack of criminal record, integration into society, stable residence, married status and the presence of two minor children. The court found that the proper conduct of the criminal proceedings would not have been affected by this change.
DIICOT prosecutors immediately challenged the ruling, and pending the hearing of the appeal, Georgescu remained in preventive custody, with the initial measure remaining in effect.
Disagreement among judges, decision in expanded panel
The hearing of the appeal was scheduled for Friday, 23 October 2026, at 9.00 a.m. Georgescu was brought to the Bucharest Court of Appeal in the morning to attend the proceedings.
The two judges who initially heard the case could not reach a common decision: one voted to maintain preventive custody, the other to transition to house arrest. The disagreement necessitated re-examination of the case in a divergence panel.
Following the proceedings, the Court of Appeal upheld the DIICOT's appeal. The operative part of the ruling states: "Upholds the appeal filed by the Office of the Prosecutor attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice – DIICOT against the order issued in the private session by the judge of rights and liberties of Bucharest Tribunal – Section I Penal. Annuls in its entirety the contested order and, on the merits, upon re-adjudication: Rejects as unfounded the request of the respondent-defendant to replace the preventive custody measure with house arrest." The decision is final.
Georgescu remains deprived of liberty; trial continues
By maintaining preventive custody, Călin Georgescu remains deprived of liberty in the Central Police Detention facility in the Capital. The decision concerns solely the preventive measure and does not establish guilt or innocence in the case.
The criminal trial continues, with the court to examine, in subsequent stages, the evidence and charges brought by prosecutors. Călin Georgescu may challenge the preventive measure through the remedies provided by law.
Source: Cotidianul.ro