MOSCOW, December 2 - RAPSI. The investigative authorities have been investigating a tax evasion case opened against businessman Viktor Baturin since early November, Baturin's lawyer Igor Shabanov told the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI/rapsinews.com) on Friday.

Baturin is the brother of Yelena Baturina, Russia's richest woman and the wife of former Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov.

Inteco is a diversified company and Russia's development market leader.

"As far as I know, the police opened the tax evasion case on November 8. Baturin has not yet been charged," Shabanov said.

A Moscow district court sanctioned Baturin's arrest on attempted fraud charges. The businessman was earlier put on probation for real estate fraud.

Baturin was detained on Monday night at Inteco's office after going there to cash a counterfeit 10.8 million ruble ($344,800) promissory note. The Inteco staff suspected the note was forged and called the police. Investigators charged Baturin with attempted fraud on Tuesday and sent the case to court.

A Moscow district court fined Baturin 300,000 rubles ($9,550) and placed him on a three-year probation in June for fraud in connection with the sale of premises in central Moscow.