Former German foreign intelligence chief August Hanning has been detained on suspicion of espionage, treason and obtaining classified information for a foreign power.

Axar.az informs, citing Reuters, that according to ​Bild newspaper, the prosecutors allege Hanning, whose tenure ended in 2005, bought secret information from a former employee of the foreign intelligence agency BND and intended to sell it on as part of his consulting activities.

The BND and the office of Germany's ​federal ​prosecutor did ⁠not immediately respond to Reuters requests ​for comment.

The investigation ​was ⁠launched after the discovery of an alleged leak of ⁠intelligence ​reports intended ​for the chancellery, Bild said.