Astakhov is a popular television personality and prominent lawyer in Russia.

The head of the Moscow police's main investigative directorate, Ivan Glukhov, had asked prosecutors to open a case against Astakhov and the publisher of his first novel, Radio Free Europe reported Monday

Glukhov alleged the crime thriller contained "numerous insulting and libelous deliberations" and sullied the overall image of the Russian police.

Astakhov was quoted by Russian news agencies Monday as saying prosecutors decided after an inquiry not to file libel or other charges against him.

Prosecutors declined to comment.