DUSHANBE, July 24, 2013, Asia-Plus – The Agency for Sate Financial Control and Combating Corruption has completed investigation into financial and economic activities of Toj Sokhtmon Bainalmillal, a firm owned by a former minister of industry Zayd Saidov and his family.
An official source at the anticorruption agency says cases of raider seizure, large-scale tax evasion, and distortions have been revealed during the investigation.
Thus, Toj Sokhtmon Bainalmillal forged documents and stole 4.7 million somoni from Dushanbe municipal funds while constructing the city’s tallest tower, the 20-storey Dushanbe Plaza, the source noted. This firm reportedly also stole 945,500 somoni while constructing School # 8.
In 2009-2012, Toj Sokhtmon Bainalmillal forged documents and underpaid 11.5 million somoni in taxes, the source said.
According to him, a total damage caused by Zayd Saidov to the national budget has been estimated at 38,000 million somoni, including 19.6 million somoni tax evasion, distortions for a total amount of 13.3 million somoni and other financial crimes (7.625 million somoni).
We will recall that Zayd Saidov, who is initiator of formation of a “New Tajikistan” party, now faces charges of large scale fraud, large-scale corruption and polygamy. He is currently being held at the SCNS-run pretrial detention facility.
Zayd Saidov was detained on May 19 on charges of corruption. He has been stripped of his parliamentary immunity. On May 22, a court in Dushanbe’s Firdavsi district issued the arrest warrant for Zayd Saidov. He was ordered held in pretrial detention. The court also ruled that Zayd Saidov cannot be released on bail.
The authorities have sequestrated property of Zayd Saidov and his nearest relatives. To-date, five cars belonging to Zayd Saidov and his sons as well as their houses have been sequestrated. Working premises and building sites have also been sequestrated but later they have been released.
On June 17, the investigation into the case of Zayd Saidov was classified as “secret. Saidov denies any wrongdoing and says his case is politically motivated.
