The last performance of the minister

Alexei Ulyukaev was sent under house arrest. Report "Medusa" from the Basmanny Court

The Basmanny Court sent under house arrest the Minister of Economic Development Alexei Ulyukaev - on the night of November 15, the Investigative Committee detained him and accused him of extorting and receiving a bribe of two million dollars to assist the shares of Bashneft. Ulyukaev is the first acting federal minister to whom such a serious accusation is charged. That same evening, President Vladimir Putin sent Ulyukaev to resign with the wording "Due to the loss of trust." The collection of preventive measures to the Minister of Government of Russia was watched by the Medusa correspondent Sasha Sulim.

Journalists began to gather in the Basmanny Court of Moscow in the morning: a few hours after the report of the Investigative Committee on the detention of Ulyukaev. The minister was brought to the court building only about four days. An hour later, several dozen television cameras were able to shoot, as Ulyukaev enters the hall. Minister - he was without handcuffs - silently passed by hundreds of journalists, not paying attention to the cries: "Do you find yourself guilty?"

Waiting for the beginning of the meeting, Ulyukaev sat practically not moving (face to the judge and his back to the journalists who filled the hall), only occasionally exchanged remarks with lawyers Timofei Gridnev and Svetlana Kashtanova and leafed through the Criminal Procedure Code.

At the beginning of the meeting, the minister answered the questions of Judge Arthur Karpov, who was suppressed from excitement. Ulyukaev called his passport and questionnaires, and also confirmed, by applying medical certificates, the presence of chronic diseases: hypertension and atherosclerosis.

Investigator Roman Nesterov requested the election of a preventive measure in the form of house arrest. He asked to introduce a copy of the order on the foreign business trip to Ulyukaev (on November 15, the minister had to fly to Cuba, and then to Peru), as well as a protocol for inspection of the scene of the incident. Nesterov said that despite the fact that the collection of evidence has just begun, he considers the guilt of Ulyukaev proven. The investigator spoke about the “obvious” signs of the commission of the crime: according to him, Ulyukaev was detained red -handed when receiving a bribe in a particularly large size, indications of eyewitnesses indicate. According to the investigation, while at large, the minister can hide from the investigation (here Nesterov again remembered the preparatory trips to Cuba and Peru), influence witnesses, destroy evidence and "prevent the establishment of truth." The prosecutor supported the application of the investigator.

Ulyukaev did not admit his guilt and asked the court to choose a softer measure of restraint for him, for example, a non -departure subscription. The minister told the judge that he was determined to cooperate with the investigation and emphasized that it is very important for him to restore his reputation and good name. He also added that he should take care of his elderly parents (he was 84 and 83 years old).

The lawyer Gridnev drew the attention of the judge to the words that the deputy Ulyukaev, Evgeny Elin, said after he found out about the detention of the head of the department. Elin said that the arrest could "destabilize the work of the ministry." The lawyer (for some reason, he called his client Alyukaev) also said that at the end of the calendar and financial year to maintain freedom to the Minister of Economic Development of Russia-in the interests of the state. Gridnev emphasized that he did not find evidence of receiving a bribe in the case file, but "saw many contradictions." “The position of the Minister, which Ulyukaev occupies, speaks of the state’s trust in him,” said the lawyer, and invited the court to remove his foreign passport from Ulyukaev, but leave at large. In case the investigator’s request was accepted, Gridnev asked the court to allow his client daily two -hour walks.

The investigator and the prosecutor said that they consider such a preventive measure too soft.

Judge Karpov retired to the deliberation room for more than an hour, and then made a decision to satisfy the petition of the prosecutor. Alexei Ulyukaev was concluded under house arrest for a period of two months without the right to daily walks, communicating with someone except close relatives, he is also prohibited from using the Internet and telephone. Lawyers said they would appeal the court decision.

- Do you understand the court decision? - asked Karpov.

Ulyukaev said that it was clear. Journalists were asked to free the court building as soon as possible.

Two hours after the court hearing, Russian President Vladimir Putin fired Alexei Ulyukaev from the post of Minister of Economic Development "due to the loss of trust."

Sasha Sulim

Moscow