MADRID: A Spanish newspaper on Friday published photos of Silvio Berlusconi at his villa in Sardinia surrounded by several women - images that the scandal-hit Italian prime minister had last week tried to ban.

Berlusconi was on Wednesday placed under investigation for allegedly misusing his official plane to fly personal guests, including a flamenco dancer, to the mansion.

The 5 photos in the newspaper El Pais show several women, their faces blurred, flanking Berlusconi in the garden of the villa, and others sunbathing topless or in bikinis. One of them also shows a naked man, his face also blurred, next to a woman lying down.