(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-03-13 14:26

PARIS -- A second employee of the French bank Societe Generale was detained by police Wednesday for questioning over the multi-billion-euro rogue trading scandal revealed early this year.

According to a bank spokesman, the man detained used to work for SocGen's securities trading floor.

Police searched the site, especially the employee's desk.

Phone records of Jerome Kerviel, the rogue trader who mobilized 50 billion euros (US$78 billion) for unauthorized trading and cost SocGen 4.82 billion euros (US$7.5 billion) in losses, have revealed that numerous calls were made by him to the SocGen Securities employee, a source close to the investigation said.

Related readings:  Probe: Trader creates SocGen losses alone  FT: SocGen investigated dodgy trades since Sept  SocGen launches rights issue at steep discount  Fimat broker released without charge in SocGen investigation  Finance minister says SocGen in 'crisis'

The employee might be held for 48 hours, after which he must be presented to investigating judges for possible charges or released.

This is the second SocGen employee being detained for possible involvement in the Kerviel case. The first was detained on Feb. 8,after police found from Kerviel's emails and online chat records that the employee at least had knowledge of the trader's fraudulent practices.

Financial police are trying to find out whether Kerviel had any accomplices in his illegal dealings.

Kerviel, 31, is currently being held in a Paris prison and is due to appear in court Friday to seek release from custody. He has been charged with breach of trust, fabricating documents and illegally accessing computers.