Ex-Minister Beglov and Surgeon: New Detention in Kuzbass

Law enforcement has uncovered new facts about a bribe being given to former Kuzbass health minister Dmitry Beglov. Furthermore, another kickback was received by the previously detained ex-chief doctor of the city hospital in Leninsk-Kuznetsky, the press service of the regional FSB directorate reported on Friday, 23 January.

According to law enforcement, last summer an entrepreneur gave Beglov a bribe of 500,000 rubles (about $5,600 at current rates) for general patronage and assistance in securing government contracts. Before that, in February and April, the businessman had given money for the same services to another medical worker — Yevgeny Yeshchin.

«The defendant personally handed over a bribe of 200,000 rubles (about $2,200 at current rates). The funds were delivered for general patronage, which consisted of concluding contracts for the supply of goods for the needs of the institution,» the agency reports.

The bribe-giver was detained with the assistance of police and special forces operatives; a criminal case has been initiated under the article «giving a bribe to an official on a large scale.»

The agency emphasizes that the new episode will affect the case of Beglov, who, as NGS42 previously reported, has been in a pre-trial detention center for over six months.

NGS42.RU learned of Yeshchin«s detention in early October; it was revealed that the man took money while working at City Hospital No. 11 in Kemerovo. The medic was called »a surgeon with golden hands and a big heart.«

NGS42.RU provided coverage from the courtroom where he was having a pre-trial restraint measure selected.