31 May 2004 09:18
Russian Kalmneft oil firm`s property seized by court order
ELISTA. May 31 (Interfax-South) - The Kalmneft oil company has had its property seized by a court order as part of an
investigation into the company's suspected illegal privatization, chief public prosecutor of Russia's Kalmykia
region Sergei Khlopushin said on Monday.
Khlopushin told a news conference in the Kalmyk capital of Elista that the seizure had followed an appeal to that
effect by his office.
The Kalmneft general director was charged with embezzlement in December 2003, Khlopushin said.
"We will be returning Kalmneft to the state - 38% of state shares were in effect stolen in 1999 in the total of
$1 million. Kalmneft was bought free of charge, the bargain was formalized without any money being involved, and it
smoothly passed into private hands," the prosecutor said.
The case was taken over by the Russian Prosecutor General's Office.
"It's a very serious case, and its results will be known by fall. An indictment will be issued very
soon," Khlopushin said. [RU EUROPE EEU EMRG CRIM OIL CRU ENR] as tj <>
[Interfax] |
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