MOSCOW, March 22 (RAPSI) – The Investigative Committee of Russia has launched one more corruption case against former governor of the Kirov Region Nikita Belykh, RAPSI learnt in the Basmanny District Court of Moscow on Wednesday.

According to the judge, a new bribery case was launched against Belykh on March 9. The new case is to be examined jointly with the first one. Belykh is also suspected of mediation in bribery.

Investigators have asked the court to extend Belykh’s detention for three months.

Belykh stands charged with taking 400,000 euros in bribes. Investigators in cooperation with the Federal Security Service’s (FSB) officers arrested him on June 24 in a Moscow restaurant while he was allegedly accepting 150,000 euros, the third part of the bribe, then Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin said earlier. Moscow’s Basmanny District Court ordered the detention of Belykh.

On October 12, the Moscow City Court overturned seizure of assets owned by Belykh.

Attorney Vadim Prokhorov told RAPSI that a lower court had ordered seizure of a land plot, one third of Belykh family’s apartment and other property acquired long before the defendant’s assignment to position of governor. Therefore, items of property could not be considered as assets gained through crime.

The defendant has pleaded not guilty.

On July 28, President Vladimir Putin removed Belykh from his post of governor because of loss of trust.