Russian Police Search Kirov Governor's Office

Police searched the office of the Kirov regional governor on Tuesday in connection with alleged fraud that took place in 2010 and was linked to prominent opposition figure Alexei Navalny. Investigators, anti-corruption police and Federal Security Service (FSB) forces carried out a search of Governor Nikita Belykh's office in connection with the 2010 privatization of the local Urzhumsky distillery, which allegedly involved fraud concerning 25.5 percent of its shares, the Investigative Committee said in a statement. The search was supposed to turn up papers linked to the distillery deal, in which, investigators said, the shares were underpriced by up to 90 million rubles ($3 million). Earlier official reports indicated that investigators are also considering targeting Navalny, the whistleblower and anti-corruption crusader who served as Belykh’s pro bono advisor in 2009, in connection with the case. Earlier this month, investigators brought final charges against Navalny for his alleged role in the embezzlement of 10,000 cubic meters of timber at the KirovLes state-run timber factory while he worked in the region.

http://en.ria.ru/russia/20130129/179107974.html
http://www.kommersant.ru/doc/2115904