MOSCOW, February 13 (RAPSI) – The Moscow City Court on Wednesday upheld a lower court’s ruling on detention of Ruslan Arashukov, a cousin of ill-reputed Federation Council member Rauf Arashukov, in the 30-billion-ruble natural gas embezzlement case ($455 million), RAPSI was told in the court’s press service.

Ruslan Arashukov, who is also CEO of Gazprom Gazoraspredelenie Astrakhan and Gazprom Mezhregiongaz Astrakhan, will stay in detention until March 30. His appeal against detention was dismissed.

On February 1, Moscow’s Basmanny District Court detained Ruslan Arashukov, Raul Arashukov, the father of senator Rauf Arashukov and CEO of Gazprom Mezhregiongaz, branch manager of Gazprom Mezhregiongaz Stavropol Guzer Khashukoyev, first deputy CEO of Gazprom Gazoraspredelenie Stavropol Nikolay Romanov and CEO of Gazprom Mezhregiongaz Stavropol Igor Travinov for two months

According to the investigation, all the defendants are involved in gas embezzlement from Gazprom company. The top managers have been allegedly stealing gas from the state-run energy giant over a period of several years.

Raul Arashukov pleads not guilty and calls the case against him fabricated.