Madrid  - Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon, who is known for pursuing alleged human rights abuses worldwide, is facing a court investigation on charges of professional misconduct, judicial sources said Wednesday.

The Supreme Court has agreed to probe a complaint lodged by the tiny far-right trade union Manos Limpias, which accuses Garzon of having investigated the alleged human rights violations of Spain's 1939-75 dictator Francisco Franco without having the authority to do so.

Garzon also ignored the amnesty which was granted to Franco's collaborators in 1977, according to the complaint.

In 2008, Garzon became the first Spanish judge to investigate the human rights crimes of Franco, whom he accused of having been responsible for the killings of more than
100,000 opponents during Spain's 1936-39 civil war and his ensuing dictatorship.

Garzon was, however, forced to drop the probe under pressure from prosecutors, and transferred the responsibility for the inquiry to regional courts.

Garzon pledged to defend himself against the accusations of the far-right group, saying all people were equal before the law.

Garzon rose to international fame with an unsuccessful attempt seeking the extradition of former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet from London in 1998. His National Court has subsequently investigated human rights cases in Latin America, Asia and Africa. (dpa)