Criminal Case filed against Mukhtar Ablyazov

    Law enforcement agencies have launched a criminal investigation against the former Chairman of BTA Bank Mukhtar Ablyazov along with former Deputy Chairman Zhaksylyk Zharimbetov.
    KazTAG cited a source reportedly close to the case as saying the investigation has been sent to the General Prosecutor's Office, and Messrs Ablyazov and Zharimbetov have been declared wanted through Interpol.
    A press release from the Prosecutor General's Office did not confirm nor deny this information.
    Earlier, the Respublika newspaper reported a joint search was conducted of Mr. Ablyazov’s home by officers from FinPol, the Prosecutor General’s Office and the National Security Committee. At the time however, Kazakhstan's secret service officially denied these reports.
    Around the same time, National Bank of Kazakhstan Chairman Grigory Marchenko reported that administrators loyal to Ablyazov had left the bank in two cars with documents owned by the bank.
    On February 20 in an interview with Radio Azattyk, Ablyazov denied Marchenko's statement, while adding he did not rule out the possibility that law enforcement agents might file charges against him.
    "The Public Prosecutor's Office, the Financial Police, the KNB -- officers from all these agencies are at BTA Bank, and are pulling people in for questioning. One can see that this is the basic modus operandi... I have no doubt they will make a separate move towards the illegal – say, prosecution," stressed Ablyazov.
    On February 2, the Agency for Regulation and Supervision of the Financial Market and Financial Organizations (FSE) removed Mukhtar Ablyazov and first deputy chairman Zhaksylyk Zharimbetova from their posts at BTA Bank "in recognition of the fact their actions do not correspond to the interests of the depositors and creditors at the bank and the requirements of current legislation," Fergana.ru said citing KazTAG.
    Mukhtar Ablyazov in his intervew with Radio Azattyk said he is abroad and does not intend to return to Kazakhstan, according to Azattyk - Radio Liberty.