MOSCOW, March 5 (RAPSI) – The Moscow City Court on Thursday upheld detention of Karomatullo Dzhaborov, a pranker who allegedly played several coronavirus jokes in the Moscow metro, RAPSI was told in the court’s press service.

Dzhaborov stands charged with hooliganism.

On February 2, aboard a metro train the young man fell imitating a sudden stroke, according to investigators. Following that, his accomplices began crying that Dzhaborov suffers a dangerous virus infection whipping up panic among passengers, the Investigative Committee reported.

The defendant faces up to 5 years in jail if convicted. His attorneys insist that the pranker wanted to draw the society’s attention at the virus problem.