MOSCOW, April 1 (RAPSI) – A court in Nizhny Novgorod on Wednesday extended detention of ex-governor of Mari El Republic Leonid Markelov charged with corruption for three months, his lawyer Igor Trunov told RAPSI.

Amid the coronavirus outbreak, his defense asked for the hearing adjournment because of the ARVI signs of one of the attorneys, but the motion was dismissed.

Markelov is on trial on bribery allegations. Initially, the case against him was to be considered in the Republic of Mari El, but the Supreme Court of Russia changed its territorial jurisdiction and forwarded the case to Nizhny Novgorod.

Investigators believe that Markelov acting as the republic’s governor received through Kozhanova 235 million rubles from the founder of Akashevskaya factory as a bribe for common protection and assistance in the property payment of funds provided by the state support for development of the agricultural complex.

According to defense lawyer Sergey Sevruk, Markelov is also a defendant in another criminal case over illegal possession of ammunition.

Media also reported that there is the third case against the former official over abuse of power.

Markelov pleads not guilty to all accusations.