Deputy mayor of Chirchiq caught red-handed while taking $1 million in bribe

The deputy mayor of Chirchiq city, Tashkent region, was arrested by the State Security Service (SSS) on charges of taking $1 million in bribes. The arrest occurred during a covert operation as the official allegedly accepted the money through his driver, according to a report from the SSS press service.

The investigation revealed that the deputy mayor leveraged his position to facilitate the acquisition of a 20-hectare land plot reserved by the city administration. The land was reportedly to be sold via auction under the condition that the buyer would invest $40 million to establish a commercial cluster on the site. In exchange for assisting with the auction and securing a 49-year lease on the land, the official allegedly demanded $2 million from a potential buyer, of which he received half in advance.

Following the exchange, SSS officers, in collaboration with the Department under the Prosecutor General's Office, apprehended the official. The deputy mayor now faces charges under Article 210, Part 3, Section "a" of Uzbekistan's Criminal Code for accepting a large-scale bribe. Currently, he is in custody as the investigation proceeds.

This arrest comes amid heightened government efforts to curb corruption within public office. Earlier, similar actions were reported, with the arrest of the deputy mayor of Dehqonobod district and a 7-year prison sentence issued in May to the former deputy mayor of Khovos district after another bribery-related sting operation.

#bribery #bribe #SSS