The Tver Region investigating bodies of the Russia’s Investigative Committee during the investigation in stealing of budget money from a municipality, have charged head of Ostashkov District Mikhail Tuzov with a crime under part 3 of article 30, part 4 of article 159 of the RF Penal Code (attempted grand fraud).

It has been revealed that between 1 and 20 October 2014, Tuzov had a criminal intention to steal budget money form the municipality. To do that he misled directors of Repair and Construction Enterprise, OOO Remstroykompleks and OOO Ostashkovselkhozenergo about legality of laying a heating main from a heating well to boiler room No 11 in Volodarsky street and Lunacharsky lane in the town of Ostashkov. The said firms constructed the heating main from house No 8 in Pechatnikov street to school No 1 Volodarsky street, 13. Their expenses reached no more than 1.3 million rubles.

Between 1 October and 24 November 2014, Tuzov, having convinced deputies of the deputy assembly that it was necessary to allocate money from the municipal budget to property management committee, took measures to organize an auction for the capital repair of the heating main from the heating well to boiler room No 11 in Volodarsky street and Lunacharsky lane worth over 3.5 million rubles, which was basically not the property of Ostashkov District. Tuzov was aware that allocation of money in that case was illegal.

After an agreement was signed between Repair and Construction Enterprise and Ostashkov District property management committee, Tuzov instructed the director of the said company to make fictitious documents on the payment of repair of the heating main which was not done. After that the documents were submitted to Tuzov for approval and then passed over the chairman of the property management committee. The Committee Chairman saw that the object (heating main) was no the property of ostashkov District and refused to sign the payment documents, therefore over 3.5 million rubles was not transferred to the account of Repair and Construction Enterprise and later to the account of OOO Ostashkovselkhozenergo controlled by Tuzov.

On 31 October 2015, the accused was detained while trying to escape during investigative operations well-planned by the regional investigations directorate and search operations by employees of the regional office of the Russian Ministry of the Interior. A court ruled to place him in custody pending trial.

Investigative operations are underway to gather and consolidate the evidence. The investigation is ongoing.