QURGHON TEPPA, August 21, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- H. Kholmurodov, head of the farming unit Vatan in Khatlon’s Shahritus district faces charges of fraud and abuse of powers.

According to Varqa Zayniddinov, a chief aide to the Khatlon chief prosecutor, Kholmurodov has illegally allotted lands, totaling 3.35 hectares to a number of local residents for housing and other purposes.  For this, he has taken from them $25,000.

Criminal proceedings have been instituted against Kholmurodov under the provisions of two articles of Tajikistan’s Penal Code – Article 247, Part 4 (fraud) and Article 295, Part 2 (abuse of powers in commercial and other organizations), the chief aide said.  

 According to him, investigation into Kholmurodov’s case has been completed and it has already moved to a court.