Ponurov remanded in custody over Rusnanotech inquiry
MOSCOW. July 7 (Interfax) - The Basmanny Court of Moscow has ordered that Rusnanotech's former financial director Svyatoslav Ponurov be remanded in custody as part of an inquiry into the theft of over 220 million rubles from the state corporation.
The court made the ruling on Tuesday, an Interfax correspondent reported.
Ponurov will remain in custody until September 6, Judge Natalya Mushnikova said.
For his part, the suspect asked the court to release him on bail.
Prosecutors asked the court to grant the investigators' request, given that the case files contain evidence which suggests the suspect was involved in the embezzlement.
Russian Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin earlier confirmed Ponurov's arrest. "He is suspected of massive embezzling of the entrusted assets of the state corporation through abuse of office," Markin told Interfax.
According to the inquiry, in 2007-2009 the former general director of Rusnano, Leonid Melamed, who also co-owned Alemar, an investment financial corporation, arranged for Rusnano and Alemar to sign a consulting services agreement.
"After his resignation, Ponurov and Andrei Malyshev, in accordance with the former general director's decision, paid for these services by transferring over 220 million rubles which were allocated to the Rusnano Corporation as an asset contribution," Markin said.
Melamed has been placed under house arrest as part of this inquiry.