Former Israeli TV host arrested over string of assaults
Last Updated: Monday, June 1, 2009 | 4:08 PM ET
CBC News
Dudu Topaz, once considered Israel's most popular TV star, has been remanded to prison for eight days by a Tel Aviv court over incidents in which network executives and an agent were beaten.
Israeli police arrested the 62-year-old entertainer on Sunday on suspicion of arranging the assaults against two men and one woman within the last year.
The victims were executives for the Reshet and Keshet networks, as well as a talent agent who until recently represented Topaz.
Judge Zion Kapah, who presided over a hearing on Monday extending police custody of Topaz, said there was "solid evidence" against the former TV host and actor, according to local media reports.
The judge also extended for several days the police custody of one of Topaz's neighbours, whom police believe served as a liaison between the star and the security guards who were arrested and stand accused of carrying out one of the assaults.
Police believe Topaz ordered the attacks on the victims because they had rejected proposals in which he was attempting to make his TV comeback. Investigators also alleged he planned a future attack against a newspaper editor who had also turned down a column he proposed writing.
Topaz and his lawyers have denied all allegations.
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