The former head of the Moscow metro has died

The former head of the Moscow Metro, Dmitry Gaev, died at the age of 61 in a Swiss clinic after a long illness, Interfax reports.

Dmitry Gaev was born in 1951 in Moscow. He studied at the Moscow Institute of Railway Transport Engineers, the Moscow Institute of Management and the Higher Party School. From 1990 to 1995, Gaev worked as the first deputy head of the Moscow Metro, and then was appointed head of the Moscow Metro.

Photo: RIA Novosti

During the 16 years of Gaev’s work as head of the Moscow subway, 24 new metro stations were built, emergency call columns and a new type of turnstiles were installed. Gaev was awarded several orders and titles of Honorary Railway Worker and Honorary Builder.

Photo: ITAR-TASS

According to the investigation, in 1998, Gaev, in collaboration with other persons, received a patent for the invention of an “Automated system for paying fares and checking travel documents for transport,” which was introduced in the Moscow Metro a year earlier. Subsequently, a license agreement was concluded with the State Unitary Enterprise "Moscow Metro" for the use of this system, under which the authors of the patent received 112 million rubles as remuneration. In March 2012, it became known that the department’s Investigation Department did not find any crime in the actions of Dmitry Gaev, accused of receiving illegal remuneration.

Photo: ITAR-TASS

Gaev resigned in February 2011. Before this, many publications appeared in the media about violations that were revealed by the Prosecutor General’s Office during inspections of metro stations. Gaev did not admit any violations. In March 2011, Gaev was accused of exceeding his official powers and a criminal case was opened due to a patent for the invention of an “Automated system for paying fares and checking travel documents for transport.”

Photo: ITAR-TASS

However, a year later, in March 2012, the Investigation Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs closed this criminal case, but a month later the Prosecutor General’s Office resumed the prosecution of Gaev.

Gaev's lawyers are going to seek dismissal of the criminal case after the death of their client. “In connection with the death of Dmitry Gaev, his defenders - Alexander Asnis, Ruben Markaryan, Yakov Mastinsky - intend to continue working on the criminal case until it is terminated on rehabilitative grounds. There can be no other grounds for termination of the case,” Markaryan said . According to the lawyer, Gaev was not charged as a defendant in a criminal case.

Photo: ITAR-TASS