Former Uzbekneftegaz Chief Faces Trial in Tashkent

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — A criminal case against former chairman of the board of Uzbekneftegaz Bahodirjon Sidikov and several other defendants is being heard at the Yashnabad District Criminal Court in Tashkent. The defendants are accused of embezzlement, abuse of official powers and official forgery.

Along with Sidikov, the defendants include Enter Engineering representative Ulugbek Usmonov, Eriell Management representative Nodirjon Boboev, former deputy chairman of Uzbekneftegaz Bakhtiyar Anarkulov, the company’s procurement department head Dilmurod Burkhanov, head of Uzbekneftegaz’s Maxsusenergogaz enterprise Dilshod Khakberdiev, as well as Alisher Ochilov, Khamidulla Asatov and Mas’udjon Khoshimov.

Bahodirjon Sidikov has been charged under Part 1 and paragraphs “a” and “c” of Part 3 of Article 167 of the Criminal Code, which covers embezzlement through appropriation or misappropriation, including cases committed on an especially large scale and in the interests of an organized group.

He is also charged under paragraphs “a” and “b” of Part 2 of Article 205 for abuse of power or official authority causing especially large damage or committed in the interests of an organized group, as well as paragraphs “a” and “b” of Part 2 of Article 209 for official forgery committed repeatedly or in the interests of an organized group.

The other defendants face charges of embezzlement through appropriation or misappropriation on an especially large scale and in the interests of an organized group, as well as official forgery.

Bakhtiyar Anarkulov has additionally been charged with abuse of official authority causing especially large damage and committed in the interests of an organized group. Nodirjon Boboev faces charges only under the article on embezzlement through appropriation or misappropriation.

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced a large-scale inspection at the Agency for Management of State Assets and Uzbekneftegaz in January. According to him, the inspection uncovered embezzlement amounting to billions of soums.