Court orders ex-penitentiary service chief Reiner's arrest
MOSCOW. March 31 (Interfax) - Moscow's Presnensky court on Tuesday ordered the arrest of ex-director of the Federal Penitentiary Service Alexander Reimer on charges of fraud, an Interfax correspondent has reported.
Reimer will remain in custody until May 31 2015, according to the court order.
The court rejected the defense lawyers' request for replacing custody with house arrest or bail, it says.
When the decision on Reimer's arrest was being considered, the court took Reimer's health, family status and circumstances of the case into account.
The severity of the crime does not allow any milder restraint measure, the court said.
It argued that the suspect may go into hiding, influence witnesses and obstruct the investigation if any other measure of restraint were applied.
The prosecutors backed the court ruling.