Uzbekistan’s State Security Service has reported the detention of a deputy district governor in Andijan region’s Paxtaobod district and an official from the district branch of the State Cadastre Chamber on suspicion of fraud and bribery linked to a land auction. According to the agency, the two allegedly colluded and used their official positions to gain the trust of a citizen who wanted to start a business, promising to help him win 50 sotix — roughly 0.5 hectares — of reserve land through an online auction at a below-market price. They reportedly demanded $100,000 for this assistance and were detained during an operation by the State Security Service and a department under the Prosecutor General’s Office while receiving $30,000 through a third party. The investigation is continuing, and no final conviction has been announced.
Key Takeaways: The deputy district governor of Paxtaobod and a cadastre branch official are suspected of demanding $100,000 to facilitate an online land auction for 50 sotix of reserve land. Investigators say $30,000 was received through an intermediary during a sting operation. A criminal case has been opened under fraud and bribery provisions, and the probe is ongoing.
The case again highlights corruption risks around land allocation and online auctions in Uzbekistan. Land remains a strategic asset for entrepreneurs, and electronic auctions are meant to make allocation more transparent and competitive. Alleged attempts by officials to manipulate the process undermine confidence in those safeguards and raise questions about oversight at the local level. The State Security Service statement also recalled an earlier case in Kosonsoy district of Namangan region, where a deputy district governor was detained after allegedly receiving 65 million soum for arranging the installation of solar panels at his home. Such cases indicate sustained pressure from law enforcement on corruption involving local officials and land resources, though they also show how entrenched such practices can be.
According to the State Security Service, the suspects agreed among themselves and entered the citizen’s confidence, promising to secure a low-price win in an online auction for a plot held in the district administration’s reserve. The payment was allegedly structured so that part of the money would be passed through a third person. The suspects face a criminal case under Article 168, Part 4, points “a, g” of the Criminal Code (fraud) and Article 28, 211, Part 3, point “a” (bribery). No public comment from defence lawyers was immediately available, and under Uzbek law suspects are presumed innocent until a court ruling.
Investigators are expected to establish the full circumstances of the alleged deal, identify possible intermediaries and determine the status of the land plot. Observers will watch whether the case proceeds transparently and whether it leads to stronger controls over online land auctions, which are sensitive because they involve access to valuable real estate and business opportunities. If the suspicions are confirmed, the case could become another test of Uzbekistan’s anti-corruption campaign in the regions and of public trust in local officials’ handling of state assets.
Source: kun.uz