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MP suspected of complicity in murder planned to run for governor

He was detained under article “Murder committed by a group of people by previous concert” of the Russian Criminal Code

Photo ITAR-TASS

Photo ITAR-TASS

CHITA, May 22 (Itar-Tass) - Trans-Baikal region’s parliamentarian Yuri Shkretov, who was detained in Moscow on Tuesday on suspicion of complicity in murder, was last year expelled from the United Russia Party, speaker of the regional legislative assembly, Stepan Zhiryakov, told Tass on Wednesday. Moreover, he had plans to run for region’s governor.

“Shkretov frequently skipped sessions of the regional parliament, and in 2012 he was expelled from the party for loosing ties to the electorate,” the speaker said. Despite party criticism, Shkretov publically told regional media outlets that he intended to run in the gubernatorial election of the Trans-Baikal region.

Sources from the regional investigation department of the Russian Investigative Committee said Shkretov was detained on May 21. He is suspected of complicity in a high-profile murder committed in 2003. He was detained under article “Murder committed by a group of people by previous concert” of the Russian Criminal Code. No other details are disclosed at the moment for legal reasons.

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