Brazil top court judge orders reinstatement of federal police chief

​Brazil's Supreme Court Justice Flavio ​Dino ordered the immediate ‌reinstatement of federal ​police chief Andrei Rodrigues, a court document showed on Wednesday, as the judge argued the removal ‌would affect investigations under his supervision.

The ruling came just one day after Justice Andre MendoncaorderedRodrigues'suspensionfrom his post, marking a new chapter in a conflict that has engulfed ‌the top court and as Brazil heads into a presidential election next ‌month. Mendonca last week disclosed a report raising questions about alleged contact between Justice Alexandre de Moraes and a banker accused of leading a multibillion-dollar fraud scheme, prompting calls for an ⁠investigation ​of the justice.

Moraes ⁠responded by seeking an investigation into Mendonca for alleged abuse of authority, citing federal police intelligence ⁠reports that Mendonca has now challenged as illegal. Mendonca then ordered the preventive suspension ​of Rodrigues, the director-general of the Federal Police, and Leandro Almada, the agency's ⁠intelligence chief, over their alleged involvement in the production of the reports.

"The risk of harm ⁠is ​equally real and immediate, as the suspensions have a direct impact on ongoing investigations under the supervision of this office," Dino said, extending ⁠the order to reinstate Almada as well. The justice also ordered that no new ⁠precautionary measures should target ⁠Rodrigues and Almada based exclusively on acts performed in the regular exercise of their official duties.