MOSCOW, December 25 (RAPSI) – The Investigative Committee has lifted all restrictions imposed on Vladimir Yevtushenkov, board chairman of  AFK Sistema holding company, implicated in Bashneft case, Kommersant newspaper reported on Thursday, citing a source in the committee.

Investigators have reportedly returned Yevtushenkov all the documents which were earlier seized. Specifically, his foreign passport was seized for fear that he would try to leave Russia and flee from justice, according to the newspaper.

Investigators opened in April a criminal case linked to deals with Bashneft shares in 2002 to 2009.

Bashneft, a midsize oil company, was controlled by the Bashkortostan region until 2003, when a major stake was sold to companies affiliated with Ural Rakhimov, son of the former head of Bashkortostan Murtaza Rakhimov. Russian oil-to-telecoms conglomerate Sistema gained control of the company during its privatization in 2009.

Rakhimov and Yevtushenkov were implicated in the sale of Bashneft stock in 2009. Rakhimov was charged in absentia with embezzlement and money laundering and placed on the international wanted list.

Yevtushenkov was placed under house arrest. On December 17, the businessman was released after he pledged to appear before a court if he is summoned, according to his lawyer Vladimir Kozin.