In Russia, the Investigators Get Investigated

storchak1116.jpgRemember Sergei Storchak? The innocent civilian deputy finance minister who was sacrificed as a pawn in the Spy Wars? Today Reuters reports that the investigator on the case is facing a probe himself – something that is highly unlikely in any other country, but given the deteriorated status of the Russian justice system, I wouldn’t say this is a particularly surprising development.

Dmitry Dovgy, the head of the main investigative unit of the Investigative Committee, and members of his staff are facing an internal inquiry “related to how they handled official duties”, the media quoted a committee spokesman as saying. Dovgy’s office is in charge of the case against Sergei Storchak who has been held since November on charges of attempting to embezzle $43 million in budget funds. The spokesman at the committee, which falls under the General Prosecutor’s office, did not say whether there was a link between the Storchak case and the internal inquiry.