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Supreme Court upholds verdict for former senior investigator

The court thereby turned down the defense's petition which had asked to overturn the verdict as illegal and unsubstantiated

MOSCOW, November 22 (Itar-Tass) — The Russian Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the verdict for Dmitry Dovgiy, former head of the Main Investigation Department of the Investigation Committee (SKP), found guilty of taking a 750,000-euro bribe.

The court thereby turned down the defense's petition which had asked to overturn the verdict as illegal and unsubstantiated.

Earlier, the Supreme Court presidium reviewed Dovgiy's complaint in supervisory procedure and overturned the ruling by the Moscow City Court which had upheld the verdict. The case materials were thus sent for new review.

On August 30, 2009, the Moscow City Court sentenced Dovgiy to nine years in a maximum security penitentiary and an 800,000-rouble fine. Also, the court stripped him of the rank of Counsellor in Justice, 3rd class, and placed a ban on his taking jobs in civil service and local self-rule bodies for three years. The Moscow City Court then reviewed Dovgiy's appeal and upheld the verdict.

The second defendant in the case, Andrei Sagura, was sentenced to eight years in jail for abetting the bribe.

The investigators found that Dovgiy, through intermediary Sagura, had received a 750,000-euros bribe from well-known entrepreneur Ruslan Valitov, a suspect in a money laundering case.

Dovgy and Sagura were detained on August 18, 2008.

Dovgiy led the Main Investigation Department practically from the moment of its establishment in September 2007. It took over a number of high-profile criminal cases earlier investigated by the Main Investigation Department of the Prosecutor General's Office.

In late March, 2008, the SKP said its chief Alexander Bastrykin had ordered "a service check with respect to Dovgiy and a number of senior investigators."

On April 21, Bastrykin signed an order relieving Dovgiy of his duties.