The Ministry of Internal Affairs dropped the criminal case for violating Rambler Group's copyright on the Nginx web server

The Moscow police decided to stop the criminal case on copyright infringement of Rambler Group on Nginx developments. This is stated in the response of the investigative department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation to the request of State Duma deputy Andrei Svintsov.

“Based on the results of the investigation and taking into account the collected evidence, a decision was made to terminate the criminal case due to the absence of a crime event,” the Interior Ministry said in a response, which Interfax has read.

Rambler vs Nginx

In December 2019, the Rambler Internet holding announced a possible violation of its exclusive rights to the Nginx web server. According to the internet holding, Nginx founders Igor Sysoev and Maxim Konovalov created the web service while working at Rambler. Sysoev and Konovalov's homes and offices were searched and their documents seized. Konovalov, in an interview with Meduza, called Rambler's demands a "racket."

The dispute with Nginx led to the convening of an extraordinary Board of Directors of Rambler. The case against Nginx was criticized by Sberbank, which owns almost half of Rambler. As a result of the board of directors, it was decided that Rambler would file a motion to dismiss the case.

The document says that the prosecutor's office is checking the legality and validity of the decision to drop the case against Nginx. In April, the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation announced that there were grounds for closing the case.