MOSCOW, May 11 (RAPSI, Nikita Shiryayev) – A case on evidence tampering has been launched against Anastasia Pestrikova, the partner of former Russian anti-corruption official Dmitry Zakharchenko charged with corruption, RAPSI reports from the Khamovnichesky District Court of Moscow.

On Friday, the court attacked an order on institution of criminal proceedings against Zakharvhenko’s girlfriend to a civil case over collection of 3 million rubles (about $50,000) from the Finance Ministry in favor of Pestrikova in the procedure of rehabilitation for unwarranted prosecution. The motion to attack the order was filed by the ministry.

In September 2017, Moscow’s Basmanny District Court dismissed a request to detain Pestrikova lodged by investigators. According to investigation, the woman could have been involved in embezzlement.

Earlier, authorities have seized about $16 million in bank accounts of Pestrikova’s acquaintance Lilia Gorshkova as part of the case against Zakharchenko. According to investigators, the accused Colonel gave illegally received funds to Pestrikova, who deposited the money in account opened by Gorshkova.

Ex-Russian anti-corruption official Dmitry Zakharchenko was arrested on September 8, 2016. During searches at the apartment belonging to Zakharchenko’s sister law enforcement officers found around 9 billion rubles (about $146 million at the current exchange rate). He denied any relation to seized funds.

Zakharchenko was charged with receiving a 7-million-ruble ($114,000) bribe from an unknown source. He has also been charged with abuse of office and hindering the conduct of preliminary investigation. In March, it was revealed that he is charged with two more instances of corruption crimes.

According to case papers, Viktor Zakharchenko, the father of ex-official, is charged with being an accessory to embezzlement. His father also pleaded not guilty.