MOSCOW, November 16 - RAPSI, Diana Gutsul. The Lefortvosky District Court has received a letter of protest from the prosecutor's office against the ruling obligating the Investigative Committee to open a criminal case against the officials who allegedly committed violations during the storm of the Dubrovka Theater in 2002, the court told the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI/rapsinews.com) on Friday.

The court has refuted the information disseminated earlier in the day that the ruling has entered into effect.

Igor Trunov, who represents the families of the individuals who died during the storm and whose appeal was upheld in the case, has received an official notification in this regard from the court.

"An appeal has been filed," the court's press representative said. "If my memory serves me correctly, the Moscow Prosecutor's Office made the submission on November 12. The ruling has not come into effect."

In October 2002, 40 terrorists held over 900 people hostage at the theater. After three days of negotiations, security forces released an undisclosed gas into the theater to sedate the terrorists and stormed the building. The gas is said to have caused the deaths of 130 hostages.

The committee earlier refused to open a criminal case against the officials who allegedly broke the law during the storm. In response to the committee's refusal, Trunov filed a complaint with the court to hold them, and the investigator for top priority cases, liable for failing to consider his charges.

The committee has stated that politician Boris Nemtsov's request to open a similar criminal case was also refused on December 31, 2002. The reason given at the time was that no officials took actions that constituted a crime. The committee sees no grounds to reverse the decision.