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Health Care Minister of the Chelyabinsk region caught taking 28-million-rouble bribe

Criminal proceedings were opened over fraud

YEKATERINBURG, November 1 (Itar-Tass) — The Health Care Minister of the Chelyabinsk region, Vitaly Teslenko, was detained as he was taking a 28-million-rouble bribe, a representative of the press service of the regional department of the Federal Security Service /FSB/ Marina Gorlevskaya told Itar-Tass on Thursday.

Criminal proceedings were opened over fraud.

Teslenko was caught red-handed on Wednesday. Other suspects in the case are deputy chief doctor of the Ksegach health center, volunteer advisor to the Chelyabinsk region governor Ivan Sorokun and chief doctor of regional hospital # 4 Mikhail Shukhovtsev.

The investigators said the officials, as members or an organized criminal group, overstated the price of medical equipment within the framework of the action to purchase Stephanix x-ray/diagnostic units worth over 143 million roubles, and then ensured the victory by a firm they controlled.

The price difference amounting to at least 28 million roubles was cashed out. They were detained in the cottage of the minister, when Shukhovtsev brought them another part of the stolen money to share.

An investigation is underway. The suspects are being questioned.

The FSB representative said the investigators would ask the court to place the suspects under arrest.

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