MOSCOW. Dec 27 (Interfax) - The Moscow City Court cancelled on Friday an arrest of absentia of former Tuva senator, beneficiary of Mezhprombank, which went bankrupt, Sergei Pugachyov, accused of organizing embezzlement and misappropriation of property.
Thus, the appeal complaint filed by the defense has been upheld, the Interfax correspondent reported.
The Moscow City Court has cancelled the arrest in absentia of Pugachyov due to technical violations. The case has been sent for new consideration to a first instance court.
Pugachyov's defense said in court that the arrest was illegal and that it should be cancelled.
The act, which investigators incriminate to Pugachyov, is referred to business activities, thus he can not be placed in detention, Pugachyov's lawyer Alexander Gofstein said.
"Pugachyov is not hiding from investigators - he left Russia in 2011 and did not cross the border back," the attorney said.
Investigators did not hold any investigative procedures to determine where he is, Gofstein said.
The investigator said in court he was opposed to changing the restrictions imposed on Pugachyov. Pugachyov's going to Nice in 2011 is the attempt to hide form investigators, he said.
Pugachyov has been charged in absentia, an informed source has told Interfax. He is accused of organizing an especially large-scale embezzlement, the source said.
The Basmanny court arrested Pugachyov in absentia, the Kommersant newspaper reported on December 26. According to the information of the daily, the arrest in absentia is needed in order to put Pugachyov on the international wanted listed along the Interpol and to have him extradited in the future.