Przemyslaw Nowak, a spokesman for the National Public Prosecutor's Office, said on Tuesday that four of those detained were "former and current justice ministry officials" and one was a beneficiary of a special fund overseen by the previous right-wing government, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
Nowak told reporters that the home of former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro had been searched as part of the investigation, which focuses on the alleged misuse of money from the Justice Fund, a special off-budget funding mechanism set up to help victims of crime.
Critics have accused Ziobro and former justice ministry officials of using the Justice Fund to curry favour with voters, the Reuters news agency reported.
Conservative politicians and lawmakers connected to the former Law and Justice (PiS) government accused the new administration of carrying out a witch hunt.
Ziobro denied any wrongdoing and blasted the probe as politically motivated.
Nowak said the investigation was "a serious criminal matter" and had "no political undertones."
(gs)
Source: IAR, PAP, Reuters