MOSCOW, July 16 (RAPSI) — A jury trial has been set for Raul Arashukov, a former adviser to the head of a Gazprom subsidiary, and his son Rauf Arashukov, a senator representing the Karachayevo-Cherkessia region of Russia's Northern Caucasus, along with four other defendants. 

Six defendants including Arashukovs are to stand trial in the Moscow City Court, while the criminal case against other 14 defendants was transferred to the Moscow's Preobrazhensky District Court, lawyer Vladimir Postanyuk told RAPSI.

Investigators allege that Raul Arashukov and eight CEOs of regional organizations of the gas industry misappropriated natural gas worth 3.8 billion rubles ($51 million at the current exchange rate), as well as embezzlied 747 million rubles ($10 million) under the guise of payments associated with work contracts and salary of their relative. 

In addition, the Arashukovs stand charged with organizing the murders in 2010 in the city of Cherkessk of Aslan Zhukov, a representative of the Circassian youth movement, and Fral Shebzukhov, adviser to the President of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, who obstructed the activities of the criminal community. 

Three defendants in the case pleaded guilty to the theft of natural gas and participation in a criminal gang.