Tashkent Hokimiyat Official Detained for Extorting US$3,000 from Entrepreneur

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — An employee of the Uchtepa district hokimiyat in Tashkent has been caught in the act and detained while receiving a bribe from an entrepreneur.

According to the investigation, the official demanded money in exchange for a promise not to include the businessman’s retail outlet on a list of facilities slated for demolition.

As reported by the press service of the State Security Service of Uzbekistan, the detainee is the chief specialist of the housing and communal services and urban improvement department of the district hokimiyat. The operation to detain him was carried out at the moment he received US$3,000.

Law enforcement agencies allege that the official referred to a demolition list being compiled for the current year and demanded the specified amount, promising to use his connections within the administration to ensure that the shop would not be added to the list.

A criminal case has been opened against the suspect, and a preventive measure in the form of detention has been applied.

Investigative actions are currently ongoing.