Liam Payne‘s friend is not off the hook for allegedly leaving him just an hour before his death — a judge has cleared the way for prosecutors to continue their investigation against Roger Nores … TMZ has learned.

As we reported, Nores insists he has not yet been charged with abandonment of a person followed by death — and his attorney had filed documents claiming any case against him should be handled by local Buenos Aires prosecutors.

However, according to new docs obtained by TMZ, a judge now says Argentina’s national prosecutors can move forward with their investigation into Nores’ alleged role in Liam’s death.

Remember, Nores told cops Liam was doing fine when he last saw him, around 4 PM at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel — a claim that flies in the face of what prosecutors say Liam was up to on his final day at the hotel.

TMZ broke the story … prosecutors say the One Direction singer spent hours drinking heavily, starting with whiskey for breakfast, hired 2 prostitutes and did cocaine — all before hotel employees forcibly took him to his room, just a few minutes before he fell to his death from his 3rd-floor balcony.

Our sources say authorities took Roger’s passport when they launched the investigation, so it appears he’ll have to remain in Argentina while this whole case plays out.