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Local official found dead in her home after being questioned by investigators

The court earlier ruled to put Yelena Shishmaryova under house arrest until April 1 on suspicion of embezzlement of budget funds

UFA, February 7. /TASS/. Deputy Health Minister of Russia’s Tatarstan region Yelena Shishmaryova has been found dead in her home, a regional law enforcement source told TASS on Wednesday.

Local media reported earlier that Shishmaryova had been found dead.

"This information has been confirmed," the source said when asked if the media reports were true.

The Sovetsky District Court in Tatarstan’s capital of Kazan earlier ruled to put Shishmaryova under house arrest until April 1 on suspicion of embezzlement of budget funds.

According to investigators, Shishmaryova forced economic departments’ staff from regional health care facilities to take refresher courses at the Kazan-based Progress non-commercial organization. In case her demands were rejected, she refused to sign documents necessary for the allocation of budget funds to the facilities.

In 2015-2017, around 300 contracts were made with Progress, which total around eight mln rubles ($140,000). A criminal case was initiated under Articles 159.4 and 286.1 of the Russian Criminal Code (fraudulent embezzlement and abuse of authority). Shishamryova was named as a suspect in the case.

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