TEHRAN (Reuters) -- Iran's judiciary has launched a legal case against pro-reform cleric Mehdi Karrubi over his allegations that some imprisoned opposition supporters were raped, the official IRNA news agency reported.
A special investigative committee had prepared a file into the case and sent it to the prosecutor's office, IRNA said.
"Karrubi is a cleric and his remarks should be studied at the special court for the clergy," said Tehran prosecutor Abbas Jafari-Dolatabadi. "Some people have also been summoned in connection with the case."
IRNA said: "A legal case prepared by the judicial investigative committee has been sent to the Tehran prosecutor over Karrubi's claims."
Karrubi, who finished fourth in the disputed June presidential election, angered hard-liners in August by saying some people held in the street unrest that followed had been raped and abused in detention.
Last month, the same judicial committee rejected Karrubi's allegation and called for libel charges to be considered against anyone making such claims.
Karrubi and another defeated candidate, Mir Hossein Musavi, say the poll was rigged to secure President Mahmud Ahmadinejad's reelection.
Officials reject the charge.