MOSCOW, March 3 (RAPSI, Yevgeniya Sokolova) – The Supreme Court of Russia overturned an 800,000-ruble fine (about $13,700) imposed on convicted ex-colonel Yury Gaidukov, who had been earlier freed from prison sentence in bribery case because of loss of sight, RAPSI learnt in the court on Friday.

In November 2016, Gaidukov was sentenced to five years in jail, fined and released by the Moscow District Military Court from serving his prison term.

Gaidukov, who worked at Russia’s Audit Chamber, was charged in 2007 with accepting a bribe in the amount of €7 million when inspecting rocket engine maker NPO Energomash.

Zarina Farniyeva, ex-head of the Chamber’s legal department, Nikolay Serykh, the head of the federal bureau Lord Enterprises and Alan Gogichayev, the owner of Carven restaurant were also involved in the case.

The Moscow District Military Court has sentenced Farniyeva and Gogichayev to 4 years in prison and a 700,000 ruble fine each (about $12,000); Serykh has received a 5-year prison term and an 800,000 ruble fine. Later, the Supreme Court annulled fines imposed on the defendants. Farniyeva’s prison term was replaced with the suspended sentence.

According to investigators, when inspecting Energomash Gaidukov found out that the enterprise delivered rocket engines to the U.S. in circumvention of the Russian government ban on exports of dual-capable engines. The export license was then suspended; investigators believe that Gaidukov demanded €7 million for license renewal and for endorsing “positive” results of the inspection. The deal was allegedly arranged in Carven restaurant.

In September 2007, after receiving the first “tranche” of the bribe amounting to €1 million, Serykh was apprehended by officers of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). Investigators claimed the money were to be given to Gaidukov, who in turn was to transfer part of the sum to Farniyeva.

Gaidukov went practically blind in detention. It took him almost three years to study case papers.