A Russian lawmaker has been stripped of his immunity from prosecution and arrested over his alleged involvement in a contract killing case, Russian media reported on Aug. 2.
According to Kommersant, Senator Dmitry Savelyev, a member of the Federation Council from the Tula Oblast, attempted last year to arrange the murder of his business partner who reportedly embezzled money from a company they ran together.
The person Savelyev hired to carry out the contract killing contacted Russian law enforcement agencies and alerted them of the alleged plot.
According to Russian news outlet RBC, Russia's prosecutor general asked the Federation Council to consider lifting Savelyev's immunity from prosecution.
The issue was raised during a meeting of the Federation Council, the parliament's upper house, on Aug. 2 at which Savelyev was present.
Lawmakers voted to lift his immunity and he was arrested as he left the meeting.
Savelyev has called the accusations "fabricated."
According to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), Savelyev is the former president of Transneft, and served as a State Duma deputy for 17 years. Previously he served in the Soviet army and participated in the invasion of Afghanistan.
Dinara Khalilova
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