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Criminal case opened against former defense minister's son-in-law

Investigators believe Puzikov leased expensive equipment from affiliated firms when he was director of the Inzhenertekhtsentr company subordinate to the Defense Ministry
Former Russia's Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov ITAR-TASS/Alexandra Mudratz
Former Russia's Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov
© ITAR-TASS/Alexandra Mudratz

MOSCOW, January 22. /ITAR-TASS/. Investigators said they suspect the former defense minister's son-in-law of fraud and misuse of money, a well-informed source told Itar-Tass.

Investigators believe Puzikov leased expensive equipment from affiliated firms when he was director of the Inzhenertekhtsentr company subordinate to the Defense Ministry. The equipment was not used, the source said without giving further details.

"The Main Military Investigation Department opened a criminal case against Valery Puzikov over fraud and misappropriation or misuse," the source said.

Itar-Tass has no official confirmation of this information.

As of now, investigators have completed the probe against former Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, accused of "negligence resulting in large damage."

According to the case materials, the former minister unofficially ordered his subordinate to make arrangements for building a road in Russia's southern Astrakhan region from the village of Krasa to the island of Shkolny which accommodated the non-commercial partnership Zhitnoye. This caused a 56-million-ruble damage to the state, the investigators said.

Serdyukov denied wrongdoing.