Officers from the Interior Ministry Organized Crime Control Directorate have detained members of a criminal group – all of them are members of one family, namely ex-mayor of the city of Panjakent Shokir Sobirov and his two sons Umed Sobirov and Daler Sobirov. 

TV program “Akhbori VKD” (Interior Ministry News) noted on February 2 that they are suspected of cheating a businessman out of 2 million US dollars.  

According to the TV program, the Sobirovs received 2 million US dollars from entrepreneur Azam Zokirov back in 2008 money and according to the contract, they were supposed to build a multi-story business center for him in Dushanbe.  

But instead of this, the Sobirovs built an apartment building.  Azam Zokirov refused to accept the constructed building noting that he had received permit from the Dushanbe administration for construction of a business center and demanded his money back. 

The Interior Ministry also notes that the Sobirovs took a US$150,000 loan from the Taojiksodirotbonk (TSB)’s branch in Panjakent 14 years ago and have not repaid it yet.  

It was also noted that Shokir Sobirov had been member of the Tajik parliament in the 1990s, representing Qushteppa.