MOSCOW, June 4 - RAPSI. Gazprombank, one of TagAZ's major shareholders, has filed a request to the Investigative Committee to look into TagAZ management, administration and affiliates, and to initiate a criminal case against them if sufficient grounds are found.

Alexander Shmidt, Gazprombank First Vice-President and Board Member, submitted the application on behalf of the committee's Chairman, Alexander Bastrykin.

The bank claims that it is necessary to check whether TagAZ's actions were legal and do not qualify as crimes stipulated by the Criminal Code on fraud, illegal actions during bankruptcy and abuse of office.

According to Gazprombank, TagAZ's debts to the bank exceeded 2.8 billion rubles ($83.05 million), including 1.854 billion rubles ($54.99 million) in unpaid loans and 909 million rubles ($29.96 million) in debts from letters of credit.

In his request, Shmidt emphasized that despite the enterprise's financial difficulties, in 2009-2011 Gazprombank took a number of measures to supply the bank with necessary floating assets and to restructure the debt. The bank provided TagAZ with additional finances, based on the data given, which showed a positive change in the company's position.

Shmidt stressed that the TagAZ management, knowing that the company was close to bankruptcy, concealed data on property it held and transferred its pledged assets, ignoring its loan obligations.