ArmInfo. As a result of a comprehensive investigation carried out by the Main Directorate for Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the RA Investigative Committee, the circumstances of the abuse of office by the officials of the Yerevan Municipality, causing property damage through deception by son of former NA Member Galust Sahakyan, Tigran Sahakyan, as well as cases of falsification of evidence were clarified.
According to the Investigative Committee, according to the factual data obtained by the investigation, in 2003 the Minister of State Property Management of the Republic of Armenia (head of the department), using his official position, contrary to the interests of the service, privatized the building of the Achapnyak supermarket on Abelyan Street in favor of a previously known buyer - Tigran Sahakyan for only 22.5 ml. drams, that is, significantly lower than the assessed value. After that, the latter, having paid the specified amount, acquired ownership of the specified property.
After acquiring the said property, on June 26, 2003, Tigran Sahakyan submitted an application to the Yerevan Municipality, asking for the reconstruction of a supermarket, expanding the service area, organizing parking, upgrading and landscaping, to additionally provide a land plot with an area of about 3600 sq. m. and recognize the ownership of land. According to the decision made on September 11 of the same year by the Mayor of Yerevan, the land plot with an area of 7470 sq. m, occupied by the building of the "Ajapnyak" supermarket on Abelian Street, and a land plot with an area of 3880 sq. m., on a lease basis and with a preemptive right to purchase, were provided to Tigran Sahakyan. The lease agreements were signed on February 10, 2004.
According to the regulations specified in the cadastral values of land plots established by the government decision of December 12, 2003, the cadastral value of the land plots leased by Tigran Sahakyan amounted to 51,347,400 drams, however, according to the previous regulations, it was 16,623,437 drams.
Tigran Sahakyan, with the aim of fraudulently acquiring the indicated territories at tariffs in force prior to the adoption of the above-mentioned decision of the RA government, with the intent of falsifying evidence in a civil case, through his representative filed a lawsuit demanding to oblige the Yerevan Municipality in the form of direct sale to alienate the land plots to him and to establish an alienation price valid until December 24, 2003. As a substantiation of the factual data indicated in the statement of claim, Sahakyan presented false evidence to the court, namely, instead of the contracts concluded on February 10, 2004, he presented false contracts concluded on February 10, 2003.
The Deputy Head of the Legal Department of the Staff of the Yerevan Municipality, being obliged in the manner prescribed by law to ensure the protection of the interests of the Municipality in court, using his official position contrary to the interests of the service, striving to be useful to Arman Sahakyan, who works in the Municipality, did not submit objections to the court on the false factual data indicated in the claim, and together with a specialist of the first category of the same department, he noted that the assessment of the issue and the decision on the merits are left to the discretion of the court. The head of the same department, trying to be useful to Arman Sahakyan, using his official position contrary to the interests of the service, did not file a complaint with the Court of Appeal against the court decision of April 9, 2004, in favor of the latter's brother, Tigran Sahakyan.
As a result, instead of 51.347.400 drams to be paid to the state as the cadastral value of the land plot, 16.623.437 drams were paid, causing property damage to the state in the amount of 34.723.963 drams. Based on the totality of the sufficient evidence obtained, Tigran Sahakyan was charged under paragraph 1 of part 2 of article 184 (causing property damage by deception or abuse of trust) and part 1 of article 349 (falsification of evidence) of the RA Criminal Code. The head of the legal department of the Yerevan Municipality Administration and his deputy were charged under Part 2 of Article 308 (abuse of office) of the RA Criminal Code, and an employee of the same department was charged under Part 2 of Article 38- 308 of the Criminal Code of the RA. A written undertaking not to leave was chosen as a preventive measure. The investigation has been completed; the criminal case with the indictment was sent to the court.