Two high-ranking Russian Investigative Committee officers charged with bribery - source
MOSCOW. July 27 (Interfax) - Investigators brought major bribery charges against Investigative Committee internal security department head Mikhail Maksimenko and the first deputy chief of the Russian Investigative Committee's department for Moscow, Denis Nikandrov, a source with the knowledge of the situation told Interfax.
"Maksimenko and Nikandrov have been charged with receiving a bribe in an extremely large amount, in an organized group," the news agency's interlocutor said.
"None of them has admitted guilt," the source added.
Maksimenko and Nikandrov refused to make a statement.
"They refused to testify, having had recourse to Article 51 of the Constitution that gives [people] the right to refuse to give incriminating evidence against themselves or their close relatives," the news agency's interlocutor said.
Yesterday, Investigative Committee internal security department deputy chief Alexander Lamonov was charged under the same article of the Russian Criminal Code. Lamonov has also denied bribery charges.
Russian Investigative Committee internal security department head Mikhail Maksimenko, his deputy Alexander Lamonov, and first deputy chief of the Investigative Committee department for Moscow Denis Nikandrov were detained on suspicion of accepting a major bribe from criminal community members last week.
According to Lamonov's lawyer, investigators suspect Nikandrov of accepting a $1 million bribe. None of the suspects admitted any wrongdoing.
Moscow's Lefortovo District Court has ordered the suspects be kept under arrest until September 15.