"We have received numerous complaints from citizens calling for the journalists to be punished as well," Police Presidium spokesman David Kubalák said. "We cannot rule out that there was a violation of the traffic rules committed by the journalists."

Mladá fronta Dnes (MfD) reporters Zuzana Janečková and Jan Gazdík, along with photographer David Port, followed Husák to work July 18 and 19, and the following day published a report that said the police president hit speeds upward of 190 kmh (118 mph) during his commute.

The story followed the recent implementation of strict new driving regulations nationwide that signaled a renewed government crackdown on reckless driving. Since then, fatalities on roads have dropped significantly, but the regulations remain unpopular.

In response to the MfD report, Husák admitted to speeding, agreed to have his license suspended for three months and gave 10,000 Kč ($440) to charity.

Police say they have turned to the traffic department in the nearby city of Kládno, where Husák's speeding took place, to investigate whether the journalists themselves broke traffic laws in reporting their story.

Michal Musil, the newspaper's deputy editor-in-chief, said if his reporters broke the law, it was only because Husák broke it first.

"It's simple," he said. "If the police president would drive as required, then there would never be any violation of traffic rules."

Musil also called for a tougher punishment for the police president. Under the new traffic law, an ordinary citizen caught speeding like Husák would lose his license for a year and pay a fine of 22,500 Kč.

"We want to believe that the police will pay as much attention to investigating Vladislav Husák ... as it does in the case of the MfD journalists," Musil said.

Only the Interior Ministry is legally empowered to investigate Husák.

Minister František Bublan reprimanded Husák, but a ministry spokesman said there was not sufficient evidence to investigate the matter further.