The chairman of a mahalla (neighborhood community) and the deputy governor of that mahalla in the Andijan district have been detained on suspicion of corruption, according to the State Security Service (SSS).

The two allegedly conspired to promise a resident of Andijan city the official registration of 2 sotik (0.02 hectares) of mahalla land previously allocated to another person for livestock farming, as well as 28 sotik (0.28 hectares) of land from the state reserve.

Under the agreement, they planned to reclassify part of the total 30 sotik (0.3 hectares) as non-residential and the remainder for residential construction. They valued the land at $57,000 and the service of processing documents through acquaintances in cadastral offices at $3,000.

During an operation conducted by the SSS and the Department for Combating Economic Crimes under the Prosecutor General's Office, the two men were caught red-handed receiving $31,000 (of which $28,000 was for the land).

A criminal case has been opened against them, and investigative actions are underway.

Source: www.gazeta.uz