Serdyukov remained in the status of a witness

Ex-Minister of Defense Anatoly Serdyukov retained the status of a witness in the case of Oboronservis. According to RIA Novosti, a source close to the TFR, Serdyukov was released, because "he is still a witness in the case." Later, the official representative of the Investigative Committee Vladimir Markin clarified that the former minister refused to answer questions, citing the absence of a lawyer, and filed a petition for the transfer of interrogation. This petition was satisfied - now Serdyukov should appear in the Investigative Committee of January 11.

On Friday morning, it became known that Serdyukov’s lawyer Heinrich Padva was sick, so the ex-minister appeared without a defender for interrogation in the Main Military Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee.

The interrogation was the first for Serdyukov as part of the investigation of multi -billion dollar theft in the structures of the Ministry of Defense. According to Markin, there are "serious reasons" to call the former head of the Ministry of Defense in the TFR.

Meanwhile, Interfax, citing an informed source, reports that Serdyukov had previously evaded a turnout for interrogation. “He was called several times for interrogation, but he ignored all the invitations. According to the last agenda, the ex -minister was supposed to appear on the military investigation on December 27. And only after the press appeared in the press that Serdyukov had left his lawyer Henry Padva,” the agency’s interlocutor said. Also, according to him, the former head of the Ministry of Defense insisted that the investigators present him in writing. Serdyukov argued by the fact that, as a minister, he signed up to 7 thousand documents daily, and therefore would not mention all the result of facts and documents of interest.

The scandal with the "Oboronservice" led to the resignation of Serdyukov from the post of minister. According to President Putin, the dismissal of the head of the Ministry of Defense was designed to create conditions for an objective investigation.

The former head of the Department of Property Relations of the Ministry of Defense Evgeny Vasilieva, the former head of the Center for Legal Support “Expert” Ekaterina Smetanova and her husband, ex-leader of the District Material Warehouse of the Moscow Air Force, Maxim Klastutilo, are involved in the defendants in the main case of Oboronservis. In the late 1990s, all three studied together at the SPbSU law faculty. He also received a second higher education and Serdyukov. Smetanova and wrapped in jail, Vasilieva - under house arrest.

Some expected that Serdyukov would be involved in the case. However, in the documents of the investigation that fell into the media in December, the surname Serdyukov was not mentioned at all - only the anonymous "Minister of Defense" appeared there, which his subordinates allegedly misled.

On December 20, Putin, during a large press conference, said that he fired Serdyukov "for the fact that the investigation authorities had reasonable doubts that the work related to the sale of property and on some other issues had properly built." At the same time, he noted: "But they dodged or did not dodge ... Only the court can decide."

On December 21, it became known that the first Dmitry Mityaev, who was arrested as part of the investigation of the fraud, whose case was allocated to separate production, testified to Serdyukov. He said that the ex-Minister personally gave instructions to members of the board of directors of Oboronservis, in particular Smetanova, how to vote on the sale of one or another property of the ministry.