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Investigators to check all Urlashov's activities at post of Yaroslavl mayor

On Tuesday, Yevgeny Urlashov was convoyed to a pre-trial detention center in Moscow

Photo ITAR-TASS

Photo ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, July 16 (Itar-Tass) - Investigators plan to check all the activities by Yevgeny Urlashov at the post of Yaroslav mayor, Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin told Itar-Tass on Tuesday.

During face-to-face interrogation with Urlashov, other suspects in the case confirmed their testimony. "Due to the inconsistencies in the suspects' testimony, investigators interrogated Urlashov face-to-face with head of Town Hall's agency for municipal procurements Maxim Poikalainen, suspected intermediary Andrei Zakhazov and entrepreneur Sergei Shmelev. During these questionings, Poikalainen, Zakharov and Shmelev confirmed their testimony which exposed Urlashov of attempted bribe-taking," Markin said.

Earlier, the SK reported that Maxim Poilkalainen had signed a plea bargain agreement, and that Andrei Zakharov had asked for plea bargain, too.

On Tuesday, Urlashov was convoyed to a pre-trial detention center in Moscow, representative of the regional department of the Federal Penitentiary Service Alexander Kruglov told Tass.

"Today, Yevgeny Urlashov was convoyed to Moscow and is now under the supervision of the Federal Penitentiary Service department for Moscow," Kruglov said. The criminal case against the mayor had been passed to the Investigative Committee's department for the Central Federal District, which required his transfer to the Russian capital.

On Monday, the Yaroslavl region court upheld the mayor's arrest.

Urlashov was arrested on July 5. Attempted bribery charges were brought against the mayor, his deputy Dmitry Donskov, head of Town Hall's agency for municipal procurements Maxim Poikalainen, and mayor's advisor Alexei Lopatin. Andrei Zakharov was accused of "attempted mediation of bribe."

In the second criminal case, the mayor is accused of taking a 500,000-rouble bribe from an entrepreneur for dropping Town Hall's claims against his firm. There is a video attached to the criminal case materials showing Urlashov's meeting with the businessman and his taking the money.

The mayor denied wrongdoing.

Urlashov is a former member of the ruling United Russia Party. He planned to lead the regional list of the Civil Platform Party at the upcoming elections to the regional parliament on September 8. He has been Yaroslavl mayor since April 11, 2012.

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