MOSCOW, January 30 (RAPSI) – Denis Konovalov and Roman Feofanov, two ex-police officers, who had been earlier arrested in a case over abuse of power against journalist Ivan Golunov, on Thursday were ordered to be detained until March 29, RAPSI reported from the Basmanny District Court of Moscow.

The two men pleaded not guilty.

There are five defendants in the case. They are ex-Moscow narcotics control policemen Denis Konovalov, Akbar Sergaliyev, Roman Feofanov, Maxim Umetbayev and ex-chief of their department Igor Lyakhovets. They are charged with abuse of power, evidence tampering and illegal drug trafficking.

Investigators believe that they planted drugs on Golunov’s bag and apartments. Thus, they falsified the results of operative search activity that later became inculpatory evidence against Golunov in a drug dealing case; however, the drugs had been earlier illegally bought and kept by the police officers, according the Investigative Committee.

In late December, investigators opened the case over arrest of Golunov. The journalist was recognized as an injured party. There are five defendants in the case; all of them have been dismissed from police.

Golunov was arrested in Moscow on June 6. On June 8, the Nikulinsky District Court of Moscow placed him under house arrest for 2 months. According to the Interior Ministry’s official statement, police seized nearly 4 grams of methylmethedrone from Golunov.

The journalist pleaded not guilty, insisted that the drugs were planted on him during the arrest and claimed that his prosecution is related to his journalistic investigations.

According to his defense, an examination showed no drugs in his biomaterial.

On June 11, charges against Golunov were dropped because of a lack of evidence that he participated in the crime, and the journalist was released.

On June 13, Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed two generals of police on the back of the arrest of Golunov.