ICPO checks Budanov for involvement in murdering three Chechens

The Investigatory Department (ID) for Chechnya of the Investigatory Committee at the Prosecutor's Office (ICPO) of Russia has instructed the Shali Inter-District Investigatory Department to start inquiry of involvement of Yuri Budanov, former commander of the 160th Tank Regiment, in kidnapping and murdering peaceful residents in Duba-Yurt village in 2000.

In 2003, Yuri Budanov was sentenced to ten years of imprisonment for kidnapping and killing a Chechen schoolgirl Elza Kungaeva, and this January 15 he was set free under decision of the Dmitrovgrad City Court of the Ulyanovsk Region.

A petition to restart proceedings on Yuri Budanov's criminal case was submitted to the ID for Chechnya of the ICPO by Nurdi Nukhazhiev, Ombudsman in the Chechen Republic. His petition was caused by complaints against Budanov moved by residents of the Shatoy and Urus-Martan Districts of the Republic.

It follows from the complaints that on January 13, 2000, refugees Vakha Titaev, Visit Arsnukaev, Hussein Didaev and Said-Magomed Delmukhanov were detained at the block-post near the entrance to Duba-Yurt village of the Shali District by Colonel Yuri Budanov and taken away in an unknown direction. Later, the mutilated bodies of three of them were found in the local cemetery. Said-Magomed Delmukhanov is still missing, runs the press release of Chechen Ombudsman's office.

The ICPO source told the "Interfax" that in this context the investigation was resumed. In the course of preliminary inquiry it was established that Yuri Budanov, former military and former commander of the 160th Tank Regiment was involved in this crime.