Armenian Minister of Emergency Situations and some of his subordinates arrested on charges of corruption

YEREVAN, March 31. /ARKA/. Armenian Minister of Emergency Situations Andranik Piloyan has been charged with corruption and a petition for his arrest has been submitted to the court, the press service of the Anti-Corruption Committee reported.

It said that 8 other people are accused in the criminal case and another 10 persons are suspects. According to it, investigation has obtained evidence that the officials of the ministry received bribes, committed embezzlements, as well as received and awarded illegal remunerations, worth thousands of US dollars.

Multiple episodes of committing the above mentioned crimes were disclosed in the framework of preliminary investigation. Minister Andranik Piloyan, his advisor, as well as over 10 employees of the ministry, including the heads of various departments are detained, the Anti-Corruption Committee said. 

Piloyan was detained by investigators on March 30. Eight more people, including ministry's officials, were charged with complicity in bribery, fraud, abuse of power and attempted abuse of power.

Five of the accused have been arrested. Another 10 employees of the ministry are treated as suspects, who were ordered not to leave the country.

Piloyan, a retired army general, was appointed minister in July, 2020. He was awarded the highest National Hero of Armenia title after participating in the 2020 war with Azerbaijan. -0-