MOSCOW, May 14 (RAPSI) - Deputy Economic Development Minister Pavel Korolyov has been questioned with regard to the case of the illegal transfer of $750,000 from the Skolkovo Foundation, Russia's high-tech development center, to State Duma lawmaker Ilya Ponomaryov (A Just Russia), Izvestia newspaper writes.

An agreement was first signed between Korolyov and Ponomaryov in 2010, when Korolyov held the post of chief of Skolkovo's staff. Later, further agreements were signed between Ponomaryov and former Skolkovo Foundation Vice-President Alexei Beltyukov.

A criminal case was opened against Beltyukov on April 19, 2013, and on May 7 he was dismissed from his post.

According to the Investigative Committee, Beltyukov paid Ponomaryov $750,000 of the foundation's money without sanction between February 2011 and February 2012 for lectures and research projects. An investigation was launched into Beltyukov's actions to analyze the subject, the content and the academic value of the lectures which Ponomaryov was contracted to provide for $300,000.

Ponomaryov has said it is strange that Beltyukov is being investigated, when the contract in question was signed with Korolyov, Izvestia reports. However, sources at the Economic Development Ministry said off-record that the investigators have no issues with Korolyov's work at Skolkovo.

On April 26, Skolkovo filed a lawsuit against Ponomaryov with the Gagarinsky District Court in Moscow to reclaim the money paid to him, and to collect damages, if evidence is found that his services were inadequate for the fee provided.

Ponomaryov earlier claimed that he had done more work for the foundation than the reports show. The Gagarinsky District Court plans to hear the Skolkovo Foundation's lawsuit against him on May 20.

The Skolkovo Foundation, set up in 2010 by then President Dmitry Medvedev, is the primary agency for the Skolkovo high-tech development hub, which includes a business center, a science and technology institute and a management school. The project is intended to showcase the drive to diversify and modernize the Russian economy.

Renova Group president Viktor Vekselberg is one of the foundation's prime investors.