MOSCOW, January 9 (RAPSI, Oleg Sivozhelezov) – Investigators have filed a motion with Moscow’s Basmanny District Court seeking to extend for three months the house arrest of Russian Economy Ex-Minister Alexey Ulyukayev, who stands charged with extorting a $2 million bribe, a court representative told RAPSI on Monday.

The motion will be considered on January 10.

Ulyukayev was arrested while receiving a bribe. He allegedly demanded Russian state-controlled oil giant Rosneft’s representative to pay him $2 million for lawfully providing a positive review and evaluation of a deal that allowed Rosneft to acquire government’s share in mid-sized producer Bashneft. According to acting spokeswoman for the Investigative Committee Svetlana Petrenko, the former minister threatened to create obtrusions for Rosneft with use of his position.

Ulyukayev has pleaded not guilty.

On November 15, Moscow's Basmanny District Court put him under house arrest for two months.

Later in the evening, President Vladimir Putin relieved Ulyukayev of his post because of loss of trust.