The electronic scheduling system of the Yashnabad District Court in Tashkent has revealed that the high-profile criminal case involving former Uzbekneftegaz CEO Bakhodirjon Sidikov now features 25 defendants. Initial official reports released earlier by judicial authorities had suggested that only nine individuals were facing trial, indicating a substantial widening of the ongoing legal proceedings.
Court documentation shows that the list of defendants includes Mubin Mirzayev, the former first deputy chairman of the Tax Committee. Notably, Mirzayev was previously sentenced to eight years and two months in prison by another district court over separate charges of large-scale fraud and abuse of official authority. He is now allegedly implicated in multiple distinct criminal cases, although specific details regarding his involvement in the latest episodes remain undisclosed.
The expanded roster also names other former top executives of the energy giant, including former deputy board chairman Bakhtiyor Anarkulov, former procurement department head Dilmurod Burkhanov, alongside representatives from major contracting firms such as Enter Engineering and Eriell Management. Bakhodirjon Sidikov himself faces a series of severe charges, including embezzlement, abuse of office, forgery, and the laundering of criminally obtained assets.
Furthermore, a cross-reference with corporate registries indicates that several other defendants are heads or founders of commercial enterprises that previously secured lucrative supply contracts and tenders with Uzbekneftegaz and its affiliates. Companies such as Arkchemical, Ecomax Energy, and Stark Industries Distribution have surfaced in connection with the suspects, though analysts note that holding past contracts does not inherently imply unlawful activity without formal judicial proof.
The trial, which began in July, was subsequently closed to the public following a prosecutor's motion citing classified documents and restricted materials. While Sidikov has reportedly rejected the allegations during earlier hearings—arguing that his corporate decisions were driven by government mandates and investor obligations—the judicial review continues behind closed doors.
Source: www.gazeta.uz