MOSCOW, December 26 (RAPSI) – The Moscow City Court has upheld the detention of the alleged beneficial owner of NTpharma Rustam Ataullakhanov charged with embezzling one billion rubles ($15.5 million) from state-owned technology corporation Rusnano, a court official told RAPSI on Monday.

An appeal filed by Ataullkakhanov’s lawyer was dismissed.

Investigators believe that in 2011 Ataullakhanov and head of NTpharma Evgeny Sultanov, who is also a defendant in this case, purchased a land plot from a firm belonging to mayor of Pereslavl-Zalessky, Denis Koshurnikov, allegedly involved in the embezzlement as well, to give the appearance of handling of work on the project realization.

As the acquired plot is located within the national park Pleshcheevo, permit issuing for the construction was inadmissible. However, Koshurnikov, then head of Pereslavl region, gave such permit.

Investigators claim thay Ataullakhanov as a founder of NTpharma has completed control over the company and ordered Sultanov to transfer funds to accounts of controlled firms. Ataullakhanov’s lawyer said that his client has never been a founder of NTpharma and that there is no evidence of embezzlement. Ataullakhanov denies guilt.

According to case papers, Rusnano invested over one billion rubles in the construction of NTpharma pharmaceutical complex in Pereslavl-Zalessky, 150 kilometers (85 miles) northeast of Moscow, since 2010. The object had to be completed in September 2012, but the project company repeatedly rescheduled the facility commissioning.

Investigators along with the Interior Ministry and Russia’s Federal Security Service found that construction works at the object had not been conducted for years. However, funds received by NTpharma from Rusnano have been embezzled.

Therefore, the facility has not been put into service yet.

Sultanov and Ataullakhanov have been arrested on suspicion of embezzling funds allocated by Rusnano for the pharmaceutical complex construction. On November 18, Sultanov was placed under house arrest; Ataullakhanov was put in detention as well as Koshurnikov.