Moscow court extends arrest to Marii-El ex-head Markelov until mid-September
MOSCOW. June 8 (Interfax) - The Moscow Basmanny District Court has extended arrest to former Marii-El head Leonid Markelov, who is indicted with taking a 235-million-ruble bribe, the term in custody has also been extended for defendant in the case Natalia Kozhanova until September, an Interfax correspondent reported.
"The court ruled the investigation's motion be sustained, the measure of restraint in the form of a term in arrest be extended to defendants Markelov and Kozhanova until September 12," Judge Yelena Lenskaya read out the court judgment.
On April 6, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree On Early Termination of the Powers of the Head of the Marii-El Republic.
Investigators have opened a criminal inquiry against Markelov on suspicion taking a bribe exceeding 235 million rubles by him, Russian Investigative Committee spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko told Interfax on April 13.
According to the investigators, Markelov received over 235 million rubles from Nikolai Krivash, founder of the Akashevskaya factory, through Natalia Kozhanova, director of the Telekompaniya 12 Region limited liability company, for protection and assistance in securing government support for agricultural sector development.
All defendants in the case denied their guilt.
The court has arrested 23 real estate units worth of over one billion rubles belonging to Markelov and his stepmother Tatyana Markelova as part of the criminal case.