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Court upholds bail for deputy director of Tretyakov gallery

Belikov is accused of stealing 87 million roubles, allocated from the budget in 2008 for housing repairs in Moscow

MOSCOW, November 2 (Itar-Tass) — The Moscow City Court on Wednesday upheld the release of deputy director general of the Tretyakov Art Gallery Oleg Belikov on a 55-million-rouble bail. The court thereby turned down the prosecutor's petition which insisted on overturning the district court's resolution and sending the case materials for a new probe.

Belikov was detained and charged with fraud committed at the previous place of employment, the press service of the Interior Ministry's main department for the Central Federal District earlier told Itar-Tass.

The investigator said Belikov is accused of stealing 87 million roubles, allocated from the budget in 2008 for housing repairs in Moscow's western administrative district.

He previously worked at a city prefect's office and only recently landed a job at the Tretyakov Gallery.

The press service underlined that the fraud case against the deputy director of the Tretyakov Gallery was in no way connected to the operation of the Gallery.

Police searched Belikov's office at the Gallery within the framework of the criminal case.

Recently, Moscow's Ostankino court changed the measure of restraint for Belikov from custody to bail. The sum was remitted to the account of the judicial department on Tuesday and Belikov was released from a remand prison.

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