Maltese police have effectively shelved an investigation into former European Commissioner John Dalli, who resigned last October, dialing up the political heat on Giovanni Kessler, Europe’s anti-fraud chief who directed the probe into what predictably came known as Dalligate.

Mr. Kessler’s report last October into allegations that a businessman friend of Mr. Dalli sought a €60 million bribe from tobacco firm Swedish Match was the biggest political scandal to hit the European Union’s executive in years, leading rapidly to Mr. Dalli’s ouster and a criminal probe in Malta.

The alleged bribe was supposed to deliver Mr. Dalli’s backing to ease a ban on the sale of snus, a smokeless tobacco manufactured by Swedish Match AB, according to the anti-fraud office report.

Mr. Kessler said at the time there was no conclusive proof Mr. Dalli was behind the alleged bribe but there was “unambiguous circumstantial evidence” the commissioner was aware of Maltese businessman Silvio Zammit’s activities.

Last December, Mr. Zammit was charged and remanded in custody. No charges were leveled against Swedish Match’s local lobbyist. Over the weekend, Malta’s new police chief Paul Zammit said there was no evidence to incriminate Mr. Dalli, although he said the probe was not closed.