SUPREME COURT ALLOWS PROSECUTION OF EX-SENATOR
ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
December 8, 2006 Friday
The Russian Supreme Court has met the Prosecutor General’s Office
request for prosecution of former Kalmykia representative in the
Federation Council Levon Chakhmakhchyan.
"The court confirmed formal elements of a crime in the Chakhmakhchyan
behavior," lawyer Boris Kuznetsov said. The hearings were held
in camera.
Previously, the Prosecutor General’s Office was unable to start
criminal proceedings, because Chakhmakhchyan was a member of the
Federation Council and enjoyed parliamentary immunity.
"I disagree with the judgment and will certainly challenge it,"
Kuznetsov said.
The Prosecutor General’s Office suspects Chakhmakhchyan of fraud.
Investigators say that the former senator conspired with another three
men to extort $1.5 million from Chairman of the Transavia Airline
Board of Director Alexander Pleshakov for special consideration of
the company situation at the Federation Council.
Transavia owed $300 million in taxes.
Meanwhile, Chakhmakhchyan denies his culpability. "This is absurd,"
he said.
Two suspects have been taken into custody, and the prosecutors will
soon decide what to do with Chakhmakhchyan. One more suspect is wanted.
Chief accountant of the Russian-Armenian Business Cooperation
Association Igor Arushanov and assistant auditor of the Russian Audit
Chamber Armen Oganesyan were apprehended in Moscow on June 2, 2006,
on suspicion of taking a bribe. Investigators said they demanded $1.5
million from a businessman for crossing out negative information from
the Audit Chamber report. Police seized $300,000 in marked banknotes
while apprehending the suspects in the presence of Chakhmakhchyan.
The latter enjoyed parliamentary immunity and was free to go.
The People’s Khural (parliament) of Kalmykia terminated the office
of Chakhmakhchyan ahead of time by proposal of Federation Council
Speaker Sergei Mironov on June 23, 2006.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
