MOSCOW, September 10 (RAPSI) – Moscow’s Basmanny District Court on Thursday released Nikolay Mistryukov, businessman and former business partner of ex-Khabarovsk Region Governor Sergey Furgal, from detention and placed him under house arrest as part of a murder case until October 18, the court's press service told RAPSI.

The court granted a motion filed by investigators.

Earlier, the defendant pled guilty and gave testimony against Furgal.

In early September, the court extended detention of the former Khabarovsk Region Governor until December 9.

Governor of the Khabarovsk Region Sergey Furgal was arrested on July 9. According to investigators, crimes were committed by an organized criminal group allegedly led by Furgal in Russia’s Khabarovsk and Amur Regions in 2004-2005. Earlier, four alleged members of the gang were arrested and placed in detention.

Furgal denied his guilt and political nature of the case.

Born in the Amur Region, Furgal worked as general physician at a hospital more than 6 years before the start of his political career. After being discharged from healthcare in 1999, he went in for business, according to his biography on the Khabarovsk Krai government’s website. He was elected as the State Duma lawmaker three times.

In September 2018, he was elected as a Khabarovsk Region governor by popular vote.