Moscow City Court upholds Russian Deputy DM Ivanov's pretrial arrest in corruption case
MOSCOW. May 8 (Interfax) - The Moscow City Court ruled on Wednesday to turn down an appeal against Russian Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov's pretrial arrest on bribery charges, an Interfax correspondent reported from the courthouse.
"The ruling by Moscow's Basmanny District Court of April 24, 2024 on taking Ivanov into custody as a measure of restraint until June 23, 2024 shall be left unchanged and the appeal turned down," the court said.
At the investigation's request, the hearing was held behind closed doors.
As reported, Ivanov's defense team asked the Moscow City Court to order a milder restrictive measure for Ivanov, such as house arrest.
Ivanov attended the hearing via video link from the Lefortovo detention facility.
Before the hearing, members of Ivanov's defense team brought several packages to the courtroom, which contained some documents and state awards given earlier to their client.
The Moscow City Court also left another defendant in the case, businessman Sergei Borodin, in custody before trial.
"The ruling on taking Borodin into custody as a measure of restraint shall be left unchanged and the appeal turned down," the court said.
Ivanov was detained on April 23.
Ivanov and Borodin have been charged with accepting a particularly large bribe.
The Basmanny Court said earlier that, according to the investigation's findings, Ivanov conspired with Borodin, whom he maintained friendly relations with, as well as third parties "to commit a crime as an organized group and take a particularly large bribe in the form of property-related services provided under contracts and subcontracts for the Defense Ministry."
Ivanov's defense lawyer Murad Musayev told Interfax that, as the bill of indictment said, "Ivanov provided assistance to certain companies, contractors of the Defense Ministry, which in return gratuitously performed construction and repair work at facilities allegedly belonging to Ivanov."
Musayev said Ivanov was charged with accepting a bribe valued at about 1 billion rubles.
"This approximate amount is indicated as the cost of work done and materials used," he said.
Kommersant reported earlier that the criminal case against Ivanov presumed that he accepted a bribe of 1.185 billion rubles as the cost of repairs to a 19th century mansion in Chisty Pereulok Street in the center of Moscow and the construction of the Pankratovo estate in the Tver region.
Ivanov has denied any wrongdoing.
Alexander Fomin, the founder of the Olympcitystroy company, has also been arrested in the case and charged with giving a bribe.
Ivanov was appointed deputy defense minister in May 2016. His responsibilities include organizing property management, troop housing, and providing the Russian Armed Forces with housing and medical support. Previously, Ivanov had led the company Oboronstroi.