Former imam-khatib of Tashkent city mosques, Odilkhon Ismoilov, has been arrested, the press service of the Supreme Court said.

Odilkhon Ismoilov, 48, owner of Rayxon Oilaviy Milly Taomlari restaurant chain, a native of the Namangan province, and five others have been charged under the following articles of the Criminal Code:

• Article 167 (Embezzlement or misappropriation);
• Article 179 (False entrepreneurship);
• Article 184 (Tax or fee evasion);
• Article 189 (Violation of trade or service regulations);
• Article 209 through Article 28 (Complicity in forgery in public office);
• Article 209 (Forgery in public office);
• Article 227 (Possession, destruction, damage, or concealment of documents, stamps, seals, forms, and state license plates of motor vehicles);
• Article 228 (Production, forgery, sale, or use of documents, stamps, seals, forms).

The criminal case against them is being heard in open court in Pap District Criminal Court, the statement said.

Pre-trial detention has been imposed on the defendant and four others, and bail has been imposed on one individual.

Odilkhon Ismoilov served as Deputy Chief Imam-Khatib of Tashkent since 2010. From 2011 to July 2018, he served as Chief Imam-Khatib of the Shaykhantakhur District and Imam-Khatib of the Shaykh Zayniddin Mosque.

In July 2018, the Muslim Board announced that Ismoilov had been dismissed from his post "due to the dissemination of misleading reports online and due to health reasons that prevented him from performing his duties.

Since 2019, Odilkhon Ismoilov has worked at the Vakf charitable foundation.

In February 2019, Odilkhon Ismoilov was appointed imam-khatib of Khuja Alambardor mosque in Shaykhantakhur district. In September 2019, he resigned from his post at his own request due to health reasons.