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Dagestani deputy prime minister arrested for two months on suspicion of fraud

Nasrutdinov's lawyer said he would appeal the custody ruling: "We'll appeal it with Moscow City Court in the near future."

Deputy Prime Minister Magomedgusen Nasrutdinov at Moscow's Lefortovo court ITAR-TASS/Anton Novoderzhkin

Deputy Prime Minister Magomedgusen Nasrutdinov at Moscow's Lefortovo court

© ITAR-TASS/Anton Novoderzhkin

MOSCOW, January 21. /ITAR-TASS/. Moscow's Lefortovo court on Tuesday sanctioned the arrest of Dagestan's Deputy Prime Minister Magomedgusen Nasrutdinov, suspected of 130-million-rouble fraud in the sale of the republic's gas transportation networks.

The official will be in custody until March 16. The court agreed with the investigator that Nasrutdinov might flee justice or put pressure on witnesses using his office powers. However, the investigator was unable to tell the court about the suspect's concrete attempts to carry such plans through. The prosecutor supported the investigator.

Nasrutdinov told the court he had no intention to run from anyone. The court's resolution, though sanctioning Nasrutdinov's arrest noted that the case materials had no evidence on the suspect's trying to flee justice or the witnesses’ statements claiming pressure.

The resolution also noted a considerable economic damage caused by the crime of which Nasrutdinov is accused and his powerful leverage to obstruct the investigation.

Also on Tuesday, the court denied the petition by the Dagestan official's lawyer to grant bail on collateral of his Moscow apartment.

Nasrutdinov's lawyer said he would appeal the custody ruling. "We'll appeal it with Moscow City Court in the near future," lawyer Zurab Aliyev said.

Investigators plan to bring charges against Nasrutdinov shortly. They suspect the official of illegal registration of property rights to local gas transportation networks in the 2000s. It follows from the case materials that Nasrutdinov, using his office powers, led a group of persons which faked a contract of sale of the Dagestanregiongaz utility at an understated price in 2008, causing a 130-million-rouble damage to Russia's gas monopoly Gazprom and the state.

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