MOSCOW, January 21 (RAPSI) – Russia's Investigative Committee has asked Prosecutor General Yury Chaika to strip Alexei Mitrofanov, Chair of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, of parliamentary immunity, Kommersant reported Tuesday.

Investigators intend to question Mitrofanov as a witness in the case connected with extorting $200,000 from businessman Vyacheslav Zharov in 2012, the newspaper writes. Mitrofanov said that he had already given the investigators all necessary explanations.

If the Prosecutor General's Office finds solid grounds to strip Mitrofanov of parliamentary immunity, the case materials will be forwarded to the State Duma.
As previously reported, a company Arctur-Stroy in 2007 was involved in construction of a residential complex in Moscow. Zharov was a co-founder of the company. The Arctur-Stroy took a credit of $ 48 million in Russian Commercial Bank (RBC) for the construction. The construction did not begin because of the company's conflict with the partner though a half of non-existent apartments have been sold.

Zharov decided to withdraw from the business and demanded a 113 million ruble ($3,358,806) ownership interest. In 2010, a commercial court granted his request, but the company management appealed this ruling. Moreover, RBC - merged with Gazprombank - demanded from Zharov the debt repayment.

Alexander Derevschikov and Rashid Sutiev offered the businessman their help in the court on the bank's claim. They wanted $200, 000 for their services. On May 12, 2012, Derevschikov and Sutiev were detained, when the businessman was giving them the first tranche of 2.25 million rubles ($66,879).

Mitrofanov was also at the meeting. According to the investigators, he didn't take part in the negotiations. Mitrofanov was released due to his deputy immunity.

In August 2013, the Meshchansky District Court of Moscow found Derevschikov guilty of attempt at fraud and sentenced him to 2 years in prison. The court also imposed a 500,000 ruble fine on Derevschikov. Sautiyev was sentenced to 3 years in prison.