MOSCOW, February 26 (RAPSI) – The Moscow City Court on Wednesday upheld extension of detention of ex-Minister for Open Government affairs Mikhail Abyzov in the 4 billion-ruble ($64 million) embezzlement case until March 25, RAPSI reported from the courtroom.

Moreover, the court dismissed appeals against extension of detention of two other defendants, ex-CEO of RU-COM company Nikolay Stepanov and ex-head of Sibeko company Alexander Pelipasov.

The former government minister is charged with organizing a criminal group and embezzling 4 billion rubles ($62 million) with co-conspirators from two energy companies supplying electricity to Siberia.

Investigators claim that the alleged crimes were committed between April 2011 and November 2014 while the alleged embezzled sum were taken out of the country.

A Moscow court ruled in March that Abyzov and other defedants should be held in a pre-trial detention facility.