MOSCOW, August 16 (RAPSI) – Former mayor of Barnaul Igor Savintsev, who is charged with abuse of office, has denied his guilt in court, RIA Novosti reported on Tuesday.

Hearings in the case were postponed until August 16.

Savintsev is charged with abuse of his position and attempted misappropriation and embezzlement of entrusted property on a large scale.

According to investigators, from August 2009 till April 2013 Savintsev, who was in possession of all information regarding municipal land plots, used his position to his own gain. Allegedly he found five land plots with total market value of more than 60 million rubles  ($937,500), of which the right to lease was legitimately claimed by other organizations. After that he allegedly provided conditions for the transfer of land to people controlled by him and his family at the price that was much lower than a market one.