MOSCOW, January 16 (RAPSI, Diana Gutsul) – Moscow's Basmanny District Court on Thursday granted the investigation's motion to extend the house arrest of Uralkali CEO Vladislav Baumgertner, who faces abuse of power charges in Russia, RAPSI reports from the courtroom.

Baumgertner will remain under house arrest until April 14.

The court also rejected the lawyers' motion to release Baumgertner on 15 million ($450,000) ruble bail.

Baumgertner was detained in Belarus last August and charged with abuse of power. In November he was turned over to Russia and placed in detention. According to Tsygankov, he was held in a cell with three other suspects until he was placed under house arrest. He added that Uralkali CEO was ordered to wear an electronic monitoring device. The official didn’t provide any additional details on restrictions imposed against Baumgertner.

Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on December 6 that the Uralkali case had been too politicized, and that a thorough investigation would be carried out.
The charges against Baugertner in Belarus followed a July decision by Uralkali to dissolve its international cartel with Belaruskali, sending potash prices spiraling down.