Paul Khlebnikov's murder case returned to the prosecutor's office

The Presidium of the Supreme Court of Russia has rejected the cassation presentation lodged by the General Prosecutor's Office on the murder case of the editor-in-chief of the Russian version of the Forbes Magazine Paul Khlebnikov. The case will go back to the prosecutor's office.

"It is ruled to leave the presentation of the Deputy General Prosecutor without satisfaction and to uphold the decision of the Moscow City Court and the cassation definition of the Supreme Court in relation to Dukuzov, Sadretdinov and Vakhaev," the judge said.

The RIA "Novosti" reports that the case will go back to the General Prosecutor's Office because one of the defendants - Kazbek Dukuzov - was announced into search. However, according to another edition named "Polit.ru", Dukuzov's advocate Alexander Chernov has informed journalists today, with reference to the defendant's relatives, that Dukuzov was detained by employees of law enforcement bodies last year.

Earlier, the investigation had admitted that one and the same grouping could stand behind the murders of "Novaya Gazeta" journalist Anna Politkovskaya, Paul Khlebnikov and former vice-premier of Chechnya Yan Sergunin. According to the edition "Tvoy Den", three groups of inspectors, engaged in investigating the murder of Khlebnikov, Politkovskaya and Sergunin, got together to share their information on the figurants.