Former Dagestan Construction Minister Detained

Artur Suleimanov, who headed Dagestan's Ministry of Construction until the end of 2023, has been detained by law enforcement on charges of abuse of office and fraud.

Sources in law enforcement agencies reported the detention of the republic's former construction minister today.

"Suleimanov was detained and taken to the investigative department. According to preliminary information, he is suspected of abuse of office," RIA Novosti quotes one of them as saying.

A TASS Kavkaz source also reported that investigators have opened a criminal case against Artur Suleimanov. Suleimanov is suspected of abuse of office and fraud, according to the Telegram channel "Only Facts. Dagestan."

The sources did not specify the specific nature of the criminal case or the amount of damage involved. Suleimanov was detained at the Makhachkala airport, according to the channels "Ask Rasul" and Mash Gor.

Artur Suleimanov served as Minister of Construction, Architecture, and Housing and Public Utilities of Dagestan from February 2022 to December 2023; he resigned voluntarily. Prior to his appointment as minister, Suleimanov worked in commercial structures and in the management of structural divisions of the Rostec State Corporation, according to RBC.

In August 2022, Artur Suleimanov stated that more schools and kindergartens were being built in Dagestan than in other regions, but due to rising material costs, the republic requested an additional 1.6 billion rubles from the federal budget for these purposes, according to "Caucasian Knot."