MOSCOW, May 7. /TASS/. Investigators of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) have filed new charges against Mikhail Muzrayev, a former head of the Investigative Committee’s Volgograd region accused of terrorism and illegal possession of arms, one of his lawyers told TASS.
"New charges were filed against our defendant, under part 1 Article 285 of the Russian Criminal Code (abuse of official powers)," lawyer Andrei Grokhotov said. "Mikhail Muzrayev pleads not guilty."
The article entails a punishment of up to four years in prison.
The attorney said the new charges are related to the criminal case launched against Muzrayev back in July 2019. The defense team does not comment on details of the criminal process due to signing a non-disclosure statement.
On June 11, 2019, Moscow’s Lefortovo court sanctioned the arrest of Muzrayev and local entrepreneur Vladimir Zubkov. Investigators suspect them of involvement into an arson attack at the house of region’s head Andrey Bocharov on November 16, 2016.
On May 6, 2020, the same court ruled to extend Muzrayev’s custody until June 10.