Russia opens criminal case against ex-defense chief

Russian authorities have opened a criminal case against former Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, who is accused of negligence that resulted in the loss of 1.7 million U.S. dollars of public funds when he was in power.

 "(The) main military investigative department opened a criminal case against Anatoly Serdyukov on the 'Negligence' article," Vladimir Markin,  a spokesman for the Investigative Committee (IC) said in a statement on Thursday.


 The ex-minister, who was in office from 2007 to 2012, has been summoned to the IC for questioning, he added.


 "The damage inflicted to the state budget amounts to over 56 million rubles (about 1.7 million U.S. dollars)," Markin said, adding the former minister could be sentenced to three months in prison or up to one year of compulsory labor if found guilty.


 Serdyukov was sacked by President Vladimir Putin amid a corruption scandal in the ministry's affiliated structures. He was replaced by Sergei Shoigu, previously the Minister for Emergency Situations.


 The IC has also opened five criminal cases where Serdyukov has been named as a witness.