KAZAN, September 4 (Itar-Tass) — Tatarstan's interior department denied the reports that police used force on college teacher Igor Danilevsky, accused of the murder of two women in Kazan. A mother and her daughter had died of numerous stab wounds, and the writing "free Pussy Riot" was left on the wall of their apartment.
On Monday, some media outlets reports said the suspect had alleged that police had threatened him into confessing to the crime.
On Tuesday, a police officer said "the probe was conducted with the participation of the SK investigator for Tatarstan from the very beginning. Danilevsky began to confess of his own accord during a search, in the presence of numerous eye-witnesses. Danilevsky's lawyer attended the first questioning."
"There is also footage taken before he had written a statement to turn himself in, showing that Danilevsky is answering questions without any compulsion and willingly. Besides, a medical check has not found any injuries on him. Police have never put any physical or psychological pressure on the suspect," Tatarstan police said.
"The law-enforcement bodies' version of the murder is not solely based upon Danilevsky's confession; there is also hard evidence, for example, a search of his apartment found mobile phones of the murdered women, the knife /the weapon of murder/ and 100,000 roubles stolen from the victims' home.
The bodies of a 76-year-old pensioner and her 38-year-old daughter were found in a house in Kazan on August 29. The crime caused a public outcry, as the writing "Free Pussy Riot" was found on the wall of the apartment where the murder was committed. Supposedly, the words were written with the victims' blood.
The Investigative Committee and police believe the suspect wrote in blood in order to mislead the investigators, by making the crime look like ritual murder.
"Igor Danilevsky, 38, was charged under Article 105, Part 2, Item 1 of Russia's penal code /murder of two or more persons," the SK said.
A court sanctioned Danilevsky's custody.