Investigator faces criminal case after seized jewellery from blogger Lerchek goes missing
In short
Russian authorities opened an abuse-of-office case against a police investigator after seized valuables worth about 14.4 million roubles went missing, reports said. RIA Novosti and Meduza identified the property as jewellery taken from blogger Valeria Chekalina (Валерия Чекалина), known as Lerchek.
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Russian authorities opened a criminal case alleging abuse of office by a police investigator after valuables worth about 14.4 million roubles went missing, according to reports on October 9. RIA Novosti said the Interior Ministry announced the case and law-enforcement sources identified the valuables as jewellery seized from blogger Valeria Chekalina (Валерия Чекалина), known as Lerchek. Meduza also reported the case, citing ministry spokesperson Irina Volk (Ирина Волк). [ 4 , 6 ]
The ministry's preliminary account said some property seized during investigative proceedings had not been attached to the criminal case as evidence and had been stored in violation of the rules. This resulted in the loss, RIA reported. Meduza said Volk did not identify the investigator. RIA reported that authorities were continuing to establish all the circumstances. A later TASS summary said a court refused investigators' request to place the investigator under house arrest. [ 4 , 6 , 7 ]
Chekalina's lawyer Viktor Dugin (Виктор Дугин) told TASS that he had asked for the jewellery to be returned after the investigation ended but received a refusal, according to Vedomosti and Meduza. He said the jewellery was not physical evidence and had not been subjected to measures securing the case. Vedomosti said her lawyers acknowledged that the jewellery had been lost during the preliminary investigation but initially declined to confirm that a criminal case had been opened. [ 2 , 6 ]
The property had been seized in the investigation concerning Chekalina and her former husband, according to RBC and Meduza. RBC's summary, citing media reports, said a Rolex watch and Bulgari bracelet had disappeared from an investigator's office safe. Vedomosti reported that a Moscow court gave Chekalina a five-year suspended sentence on July 31 in a case involving illegal currency transactions; it said she did not admit guilt. [ 2 , 5 , 6 ]
Why it matters
The Interior Ministry said the valuables had not been added to the case as evidence and were stored improperly. Chekalina's lawyer said he had requested their return after the investigation but was refused.
Key facts
- A police investigator faces an abuse-of-office criminal case over the loss of seized valuables. [ 4 , 6 ]
- The Interior Ministry put the lost valuables' value at about 14.4 million roubles. [ 4 ]
- The ministry said the valuables were not registered as evidence and were stored improperly. [ 4 , 6 ]
- TASS reported that a court refused investigators' request to place the investigator under house arrest. [ 7 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- The investigator's name and the full circumstances of the loss remain unspecified. Meduza says the ministry spokesperson did not identify the investigator; RIA says authorities continue establishing the circumstances.