MOSCOW, June 24 (RAPSI, Diana Gutsul) – Investigators have filed a motion with the Basmanny District Court of Moscow seeking detention of Andrei Pushkarev, the brother of Vladivostok Mayor charged with abuse of office and commercial bribery, lawyer Alexander Vysotsky told RAPSI on Friday.
Andrei Pushkarev is suspected of complicity in commercial bribery.
His attorney Dmitry Korotenko has already sent a request to Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika for release of his client because of poor health condition. According to the lawyer, Andrei Pushkarev received a serious wound during playing off fireworks on New Year 2015. He cannot drink and take food by himself.
On June 2, the court ordered the detention of Vladivostok Mayor Igor Pushkarev until July 31.
Pushkarev has pleaded not guilty to charges brought against him and expressed his willingness to cooperate with investigators.
Earlier, official representative for Russia’s Investigative Committee Vladimir Markin announced that between 2009 and 2014 Pushkarev «from mercenary or other personal motives» organized the acquisition by «Roads of Vladivostok» of a large volume of construction materials from the group of companies «Vostokcement» allegedly controlled by his relatives. Investigators believe that construction materials have been purchased at inflated prices. Pushkarev has received upwards of 45 million rubles ($700,000) for this.
The damage allegedly caused by Pushkarev has been estimated at more than 158 million rubles ($2.5 million), according to investigation.