French aviation billionaire held over vote-buying allegations
French aviation billionaire, Senator Serge Dassault, was detained for questioning Wednesday about allegations of vote buying.
This comes a week after being stripped of his parliamentary immunity.
Dassault, 88, is the billionaire CEO of the Dassault Group, which includes Dassault Aviation, maker of fighter jets, as well as the conservative Le Figaro newspaper, among other businesses.
He is a member of the centre-right Union for a Popular Movement.
His immunity was lifted by a vote in the Senate, with Dassault's own blessing.
The elderly tycoon said he wanted to have a chance to clear his name.
He can be held for questioning for 48 hours without charge.
The allegations of electoral fraud relate to his time as mayor of the southern Paris suburb of Corbeil-Essonnes between 1995 and 2009.
A 2008 municipal election in Corbeil-Essonnes was later annulled by the Council of State, after it found evidence of vote buying.
Dassault was the town's mayor from 1995 to 2009.
His lawyers said he did, on occasion, "provide financial support" to individuals - but never for electoral gain.
Forbes magazine last year estimated the Dassault family to be worth 13 billion dollars.
- Sapa