MOSCOW, March 4 - RAPSI. President Vladimir Putin has signed a law simplifying the preliminary investigation of criminal cases, according to a statement posted on the government's official legal information website.

Preliminary investigations must now be completed within 15 days. The period may be extended to 20 days in more complicated cases. The deadline was two months until recently.

Fewer investigative actions will require the presence of attesting witnesses, who will only be required to be present during general and personal searches, or during the procedure of identifying individuals and objects.

The law expands investigators' and lawyers' authorities while verifying criminal reports before a legal case is initiated.

The bill was submitted to the State Duma on March 7, 2012 by then-President Dmitry Medvedev, and adopted in the first reading on May 18.

The authorities holding the preliminary investigation will not be required to verify evidence that is not disputed by the suspect, the defense attorney or the victims. The investigative authorities will not have to order expert evaluations in cases where the necessary studies were conducted during the pre-investigative stage.

The law increases from three to five years the prison sentence for the initial investigator, the case investigator, the prosecutor and the defense attorney for falsifying evidence in a criminal case.