MOSCOW, March 29 (RAPSI, Diana Gutsul) – Investigation into former governor of the Kirov Region Nikita Belykh, who stands charged with taking bribes, RAPSI learnt in the Investigative Committee on Wednesday.

The accused and his defense were notified of the completion of investigatory actions. They will soon begin reading case materials, the Investigative Committee said.

According to investigation, between 2012 and 2016 Belykh personally and through intermediaries received large scale bribes amounting to 600,000 euros for protection of bribegivers and Novovyatsky Ski Plant and Forestry Managing Company controlled by them, the statement reads.

He was arrested on June 24 in a Moscow restaurant while he was allegedly accepting 150,000 euros, the third part of a 400,000-euro 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.

The defendant has pleaded not guilty.

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