Police Raid House And Clinic of Maradona’s Doctor

Argentine prosecutors are investigating Diego Maradona's doctor for suspected murder after the death of the football legend four days ago, the BBC reports.

Police in Buenos Aires have searched Leopoldo Luque's home and private clinic as they try to decide if there was neglect in the care of Maradona after surgery.

At the home where he was recovering, the 60-year-old died of a heart attack.

Dr Luque was not indicted. He denies any misconduct.

Earlier in November, Maradona underwent successful surgery on a brain blood clot and was due to be treated for alcohol dependence.

His daughters were pressing for information about the prescription for their father.

What is the investigation centred on?

Some 30 police officers raided 39-year-old Dr Luque's house on Sunday morning - with another 20 going into his clinic in the capital Buenos Aires.

The raids were ordered by prosecutors trying to build a picture of Maradona's last days at home.

They retrieved computers, mobile phones and medical notes, officials say.

There are concerns that the convalescence of the star at home could not have fulfilled the terms of his discharge from the facility, such as a "specialised in substance abuse" 24-hour team of nurses, physicians' on-call presence, and a defibrillator-equipped stand-by ambulance.

Officials want to know about the presence of Dr Luque at the late star's house in Maradona's treatment arrangements.

What is Dr Luque's line of defence?

Dr. Luque, who has been identified as the footballer's personal physician, cried at an emotional press conference on Sunday, claiming he had done everything he could to save the life of a friend. He said that Maradona had recently been really sad.

At one point, the doctor shot back at reporters: "You want to know what I am responsible for? For having loved him, for having taken care of him, for having extended his life, for having improved it to the end."

The doctor said he had done "everything he could, up to the impossible".

Then addressing some of the concerns authorities are looking into, Dr Luque cast doubt on what his role actually was. ''If you ask me, I'm a neurosurgeon and my job ended. I was done with him," he said referring to November's surgery - and insisting Maradona's convalescence at home was not his responsibility.

"He [Maradona] should have gone to a rehabilitation centre. He didn't want to," Dr Luque said, calling the late star "unmanageable".

He also said he did not know why there was no defibrillator or who was responsible for the fact that there was no ambulance outside Maradona's house.

And he added: Diego "was very sad, he wanted to be alone, and it's not because he didn't love his daughters, his family, or those around him".

Why was Maradona so popular?

When Argentina won the 1986 World Cup, Diego Maradona was captain, scoring the famous 'Hand of God' goal in the quarter-finals against England.

During his club career, Maradona played for Barcelona and Napoli, winning two Serie A titles with the Italian side. He began his career with Argentinos Juniors, also playing for Seville, and in his homeland with Boca Juniors and Newell's Old Boys.

He scored 34 goals in 91 appearances for Argentina, representing them in four World Cups.

Maradona led his country to Italy's 1990 final, where they were beaten by West Germany, before captaining them again in the United States in 1994, but was sent back home after failing an ephedrine drug test.

Maradona suffered with cocaine use during the second half of his career and was suspended for 15 months after testing positive for the drug in 1991.

He retired from professional football in 1997, on his 37th birthday, during his second stint at Argentine giants Boca Juniors.

Having briefly managed two sides in Argentina during his playing career, Maradona was appointed head coach of the national team in 2008 and left after the 2010 World Cup, where his side were beaten by Germany in the quarter-finals.

He subsequently managed teams in the United Arab Emirates and Mexico and was in charge of Gimnasia y Esgrima in Argentina's top flight at the time of his death.