MOSCOW. Nov 15 (Interfax) - Moscow's Basmanny Court has ordered that Mikhail Stolyarov, the mayor of Russia's southern city of Astrakhan who is suspected of accepting a large bribe, be remanded into custody, an Interfax correspondent reported.
Investigators insisted that Stolyarov should be taken into custody because they fear that the suspect may try to escape or put pressure on witnesses.
The Astrakhan mayor, for his part, said that he "will not put pressure on anyone and will not call anyone."
"I have no objections if it is the only possible measure of restraint in my case," he said.
Stolyarov's lawyer had asked the court to release his client with travel restrictions or on bail.