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Top-ranking Volgograd region govt official detained on suspicion of large-scale bribe-taking

Pavel Krupnov and two more local officials are suspected of taking a 17-million-rouble bribe during the overhaul of the local oncology hospital

MOSCOW, January 6 (Itar-Tass) —— A top-ranking regional government official has been detained in Russia’s southern Volgograd region on suspicion of taking a multi-million bribe, spokesman for the Russian Investigations Committee, Vladimir Markin, told Itar-Tass on Sunday.

According to the spokesman, Pavel Krupnov, a deputy chairman of the Volgograd region government, and two more local officials are suspected of taking a 17-million-rouble bribe during the overhaul of the local oncology hospital.

“Krupnov and his two accomplices, director of the state-run company Construction and Capital Repairs department, Igor Pimkin, and his deputy, Alexei Kamarenko, are facing charges of large-scale bribe-taking (part 6, article 290 of the Russian Criminal Code),” Markin said.

According to investigators, Krupnov was in charge of supervising the work of the regional ministry of health, including the implementation of the local healthcare modernization program for 2011-2012. The program provided for the capital repairs of the building of the regional oncology hospital. Krupnov instructed Pimkin and Kamarenko to choose a construction company that would agree to kick back ten percent of the 170-million state contract. The two men found such a company, and a contract was signed in July 2012 under Krupnov’s order. Shortly after, the official received a bribe of 17 million roubles.

Although under the contract the works must have been done by October 31, 2012, the hospital is still under overhaul, “which negatively tells on its medical services and conditions of its patients,” the spokesman said.

It is now being decided which measure of restraint should be used against Krupnov. Meanwhile, Pimkin and Kamarenko have already made confessionary statements and are now charged with large-scale bribe-taking. Investigation is underway.

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