MOSCOW, July 17 (RAPSI) – The Moscow City Court has upheld extended detention of former high-ranking investigator of the Investigative Committee, General Denis Nikandrov, charged with corruption, RAPSI correspondent reports from the courtroom.

Earlier, detention of Nikandrov was extended until September 19.

Ex-First Deputy Head of the Investigative Committee’s Moscow Directorate, General Nikandrov, former Deputy of ex-chief of the Investigative Committee’s Internal Security Directorate Mikhail Maksimenko, and his deputy Alexander Lamonov were arrested and detained as part of a case over extortion of 8 million rubles (about $138,000 at the current exchange rate) that involved an alleged gang leader Zakhariy Kalashov.

In addition, investigators believe that they extorted 10 million rubles (about $170,000) from a head of a large joint-stock company. The defendants denied their communications with Kalashov.

On April 20, Maksimenko was found guilty of taking two bribes and received a 13-year prison sentence. The defendant was also fined 165 million rubles ($2.8 million).

According to prosecutors, in 2016, Maksimenko and his accomplice received $500,000 bribe for help with one of criminal cases. He was also charged with taking $50,000 bribe in 2015 for organizing unlawful criminal prosecution of law enforcement officers in the interests of a bribe-giver.