A judge in Argentina ruled Tuesday that national prosecutors have the option to charge Liam Payne’s friend Roger Nores with abandonment related to the death of the pop musician.

TMZ first reported the news.

The former One Direction star died Oct. 16 after falling from the balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires. Prior to his fall, the 31-year-old Payne had been drinking, hiring escorts and doing cocaine. Investigators are looking into Nores’ alleged role in Liam’s death.

Nores, 35, has repeatedly denied abandoning Payne, and has told police Payne was fine when Nores last saw him around 4 p.m., about an hour before he died. Prosecutors say hotel workers had to take a “visibly drunk” and disruptive Payne back to his room shortly after Nores left the building.

Nores’ attorney has petitioned to have local Buenos Aires prosecutors handle the case.

TMZ reported Nores’ passport was seized, meaning the Argentine businessman will not be able to leave the country until the legal matter is settled.

Nores is one of several people potentially facing charges related to Payne’s death, including two others — a hotel worker and an accused drug dealer — who allegedly supplied drugs to the singer.