Nivell Rayda, Jakarta – The Attorney General's Office has launched an internal probe against several senior Indonesian prosecutors who allegedly met with media mogul Hary Tanoesoedibyo, whose brother Hartono is being investigated in relation to a major corruption case.

"We have questioned all of the officials involved, including the deputy attorney general for special crimes [Muhammad Amari] and the deputy attorney general on intelligence [Edwin Situmorang]," Deputy Attorney General for Special Crimes Marwan Effendy said on Thursday.

Speaking on the sidelines of the AGO's 50th anniversary celebrations at his office, Marwan told reporters that the office's inspectorate was leading the investigation of Amari and Edwin. "We will see if there is a violation of the code of conduct or unprofessional behavior," he said.

Hartono is charged with violating article 12 of the Law on Corruption, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment.

Hartono's company PT Sarana Rekatama Dinamika provided an online corporate registration service at the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights and is accused of swindling 90 percent of revenues from the service. The AGO estimates state losses at more than Rp 410 billion ($45 million).

Amari has admitted to meeting Hary at his office on Monday. "Hary Tanoe was already downstairs waiting for me. He said he wanted to meet me, so I invited him to come to my office," he said.

"In our meeting, Hary said that he would pay the state losses. I said to him 'of course you can, but that doesn't mean that the charges against your brother could be dropped. The best I can do is to consider it as a mitigating factor.' I haven't talked to him again since."

Marwan said that despite Hary's motive there was a internal regulation that prohibited AGO officials from meeting people connected to investigations.

The case also implicated former Justice Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra, who has also been named a suspect. Yusril has been fighting against the AGO's decision by questioning the legality of the position of Attorney General Hendarman Supandji.

Hendarman, Yusril said, is a member of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's cabinet during the president's first and second term. But the president has never officially reinstated Hendarman as attorney general after Yudhoyono was reelected in 2009.

Yusril argued that the AGO's decision to charge him was therefore illegal. Yusril also alleged that Hendarman had received $3 million from an unspecified source in return for naming Yusril as a suspect.

Yusril challenged Hendarman to prove his innocence. "The burden of proof rests on the one making the accusation," Hendarman said on Thursday. "I was being accused so I don't need to prove anything."

Former Sarana president Yohannes Waworuntu has already been sentenced to five years in prison for his role in the case.