YEREVAN. Sept 29 (Interfax) - The Armenian National Security Service has detained former Defense Minister David Tonoyan after a search was conducted at his apartment, the Armenian newspaper Hraparak reported.
Media reported earlier on Wednesday that Tonoyan's apartment was being searched, after which the ex-minister might be charged and detained. Simultaneously, searches were underway at the apartments of former Air Force chief Avetik Muradyan and Deputy General Staff Chief Stepan Galstyan. The latter was also summoned to the National Security Service.
Hraparak said another former defense minister, Seyran Ohanyan, and former General Staff chief Yury Khachaturov were likely to be prosecuted as well.
Media assumed that the investigation might have to do with a criminal case dealing with the procurement of off-grade aircraft weapons.
The Armenian Defense Ministry and the National Security Service have so far been unavailable for comments.
Vardan Ghukasyan, a former official with the Defense Ministry's military police, in November 2020 publicized documents purporting to uncover arms trading schemes involving former Defense Minister Tonoyan and his former advisor David Galstyan.
According to those documents, Tonoyan and Galstyan concluded a contract setting up Mosston Engineering as an offshore company, under which the Defense Ministry paid it $3.5 million to procure weapons. The company was also granted exclusive rights to acquire military hardware and ammunition on behalf of the Defense Ministry.
President Armen Sarkissian relieved Tonoyan of his duties at Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's request on November 20, 2020.
The Defense Ministry in November 2020 denied reports alleging that its leadership had been involved in arms trading.