MOSCOW, September 24. /ITAR-TASS/. Former head of Bashneft oil company Ural Rakhimov may be arrested in absentia, the businessman’s lawyer said on Wednesday.

“I do not rule out a possibility that such an attempt may be made by investigators through a court,” lawyer Ilnur Salimyanov said.

The lawyer said at the same time “he doesn’t know anything” about the fact that a criminal case against his client was instituted after imprisoned former senator from the Urals Republic of Bashkortostan Igor Izmestiyev testified against Rakhimov.

Bashneft oil company privatization case

Ural Rakhimov, a son of former Bashkortostan head Murtaza Rakhimov, is accused of legalizing ill-gotten funds and money embezzlement during the privatization of Bashneft. The exact place where Ural Rakhimov is currently staying is unknown.

Russian investigators earlier placed billionaire Vladimir Yevtushenkov, the owner of Sistema holding company that controls Bashneft, under house arrest on suspicion of involvement in a case of illegal privatization of oil companies in Bashkortostan.

The oil firms privatized in Bashkortostan are now part of Bashneft, which is majority-controlled by Sistema.

Russian investigators accuse Yevtushenkov of involvement in a money-laundering scheme, in which Sistema acquired Bashkortostan oil firms that had been privatized by Ural Rakhimov.