STAVROPOL, March 30 - RAPSI. A judge has extended until July 8 the detention of Stavropol city manager Igor Bestuzhy charged with attempted large-scale bribe taking.

Investigators maintain that Bestuzhy attempted to take a 50 million ruble ($1.71million) bribe through his assistant for leasing a land plot. The investigative authorities earlier said Bestuzhy pleaded guilty and confessed to the crime.

Bestuzhy alleged that he admitted to the crime under torture and threats. He also maintains that he was forced to give testimony against Stavropol Governor Valery Gayevsky.

The Investigative Committee denied the accusations and suggested using lie detector to test the suspect.

Official's defense attorney Inna Denisova is determined to contest the court ruling to continue keeping her client in custody as the investigators failed to produce any new grounds for this.

She has also noted that the defendant's health had dramatically deteriorated: he is losing eyesight and suffers some serious diseases.

The city manager faces up to 15 years in prison.