Emergency Ministry Official Detained for Bribery

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — A criminal case has been opened in the Tashkent region against the head of a district unit of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, who is suspected of abuse of official powers and receiving illegal remuneration.

According to investigators, the official demanded US$63,000 from the director of a local limited liability company, claiming that he had secured government contracts worth 5.04 billion soums through his contacts within the ministry. The contracts reportedly involved projects to reinforce riverbanks and construct concrete slab structures in the district.

Between March and April this year, he allegedly received US$24,000 from the entrepreneur and later continued to demand the remaining US$39,000.

During a joint operation conducted by the State Security Service, the Department under the General Prosecutor’s Office for the Tashkent region, and the internal security unit of the Emergency Ministry, the official was detained while receiving US$25,000 in a service vehicle of the Tracker model.

A criminal case has been initiated, and he has been placed in pre-trial detention as a preventive measure.

Law enforcement authorities also reminded citizens that reports of such cases can be submitted confidentially via the State Security Service hotline 1520.