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Criminal case opened over supermodel Vodianova's disabled sister being ejected from cafe

The cafe owner told Oksana Vodianova, suffering from autism and cerebal palsy, and her accompanying nurse to leave, claiming they were scaring away other customers

Russian supermodel Natalia Vodianova Yuri Mashkov/TASS

Russian supermodel Natalia Vodianova

© Yuri Mashkov/TASS

MOSCOW, August 13. /TASS/. Investigators are probing an incident in which the disabled younger sister of Russian supermodel Natalia Vodianova is said to have been ejected from a provincial cafe.

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Oksana Vodianova and her nurse are said to have been evicted on Wednesday when a Nizhny Novgorod establishment owner allegedly told the girl, suffering from autism and cerebal palsy, and her accompanying nurse to leave, claiming they were scaring away other customers and summoning his security guards.

Thirty thousand readers have shared celebrity sister Natalia's Facebook account of the disturbance, telling of the proprietor's alleged demand that Oksana be cured first before going out in public again.

Russia's Investigative Committee "will always respond promptly to such unlawfulness and use all opportunities to bring culprits to criminal responsibility so that others would not even think of doing the same," said committee spokesman Vladimir Markin.

Now, the cafe’s owner and his guards stand accused of "violating the law defending human rights" and may face up to five years' jail if convicted, he added.

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