On July 24, Tashkent's Yashnabad District Criminal Court held the first hearing in the case against Bakhodirjon Sidikov, former chairman of the board of Uzbekneftegaz, and eight other defendants.
News of the case had previously appeared on the docket of cases scheduled for review by the Yashnabad District Criminal Court. The presiding judge is Jasurbek Ubaydullaev.
Standing trial alongside Bakhodirjon Sidikov are:
- Ulugbek Usmonov, a representative of Enter Engineering;
- Nodirjon Boboev, a representative of Eriell Management;
- Bakhtiyor Anarkulov, former deputy chairman of the board of Uzbekneftegaz;
- Dilmurod Burkhanov, head of the procurement department at Uzbekneftegaz;
- Dilshod Khakberdiev, head of Maxsusenergogaz, an enterprise under Uzbekneftegaz;
- Alisher Ochilov, head of Oilgasservisinvest;
- Khamidulla Asatov, head of oil producer Petromaruz Uzbekistan;
- Masudjon Khoshimov, head of Oil Ravon Servis.
Under the presumption of innocence, all defendants are deemed innocent until their guilt is proven through the process prescribed by law and established by a court verdict that has entered into legal force.
According to the published court schedule, Bakhodirjon Sidikov has been charged under several articles of the Criminal Code:
- part 1 and clauses "a" and "c" of Part 3 of Article 167 — embezzlement or misappropriation, including on an especially large scale or in the interests of an organized group;
- clauses "a" and "b" of Part 2 of Article 205 — abuse of power or official authority causing especially large damage, or committed in the interests of an organized group;
- clauses "a" and "b" of Part 2 of Article 209 — official forgery, committed repeatedly, by a dangerous recidivist, or in the interests of an organized group.
Most of the other defendants, according to the schedule, face charges under Articles 167 and 209 of the Criminal Code. Bakhtiyor Anarkulov has also been charged under Article 205. Nodirjon Boboev faces charges only under Article 167.
The substance of the indictment and the circumstances underlying the prosecution's case were not read out in detail at the first hearing. Nor was the defendants' response to the charges presented at this stage.
Bakhtiyor Anarkulov previously served as deputy chairman for financial affairs at Uztransgaz. He was removed from that position in April 2019 amid the company's debt to Lukoil, estimated at $600 million at the time.
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