Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Marat Khamdamov, owner of the Imarat Development construction project, has been detained as part of a criminal investigation into the company’s management following complaints from customers about construction delays and the failure to return their investments.
Khamdamov has been named a suspect in the case, Kun.uz reported, citing its own source.
According to the publication, the Investigative Department of the Tashkent Main Department of Internal Affairs opened a criminal case against the management of Imarat Development LLC on 1 November. The investigation is being conducted under Articles 168 and 192¹¹ of Uzbekistan’s Criminal Code.
The Tashkent police department confirmed to Kun.uz that two people, identified as M.Kh. and J.A., had been detained. Their detention was carried out under Article 227 of the Criminal Procedure Code on the basis of an order issued by an inquiry officer, investigator or prosecutor.
Under Article 227, an officer of the internal affairs or another law enforcement agency must immediately take a detained person to the nearest relevant department on the basis of an order for detention and the person’s involvement in criminal proceedings as a suspect.
The situation surrounding Imarat Development attracted widespread attention after Kun.uz published accounts from customers who said they had been unable to recover money invested in property for several months.
According to the customers, the company actively promoted its projects on social media, using well-known bloggers in advertising campaigns. Promotional materials offered homes on instalment plans, including options with no down payment or only a small initial payment.
One of the main complaints concerned discrepancies between the advertised and actual locations of construction sites. Buyers alleged that a project in Tashkent Region’s Kuyichirchik district had been marketed as residential complexes in the Sergeli and Yangi Hayot districts of Tashkent. A building under construction in Parkent district was reportedly advertised as a project in New Tashkent.
Customers also complained about slow construction progress, saying that work at some sites had remained at the excavation stage. They also raised questions about whether the developer had the necessary permits and whether the projects were registered in the unified electronic registry.
When customers attempted to terminate their contracts, the company allegedly imposed fines and penalties and issued guarantee letters setting new deadlines for refunds. According to the buyers, payments later stopped, with the company citing financial difficulties.
In recent days, dissatisfied customers had regularly gathered outside Imarat Development’s head office on Buyuk Avlod Street in Tashkent’s Sergeli district. Law enforcement agencies subsequently conducted an inspection and opened the criminal case.
The circumstances of the case and the possible liability of those involved are being established as part of the investigation. The customers’ allegations and suspicions against the company’s management do not constitute proof of guilt.
