Ex-deputy minister of agriculture, his daughter prosecuted for fraud and embezzlement

On September 5, the Mirzo Ulugbek district court on criminal proceedings sentenced Alisher Turayev, the former deputy minister of agriculture, his daughter Anais Turayeva, and Mansur Kuzibekov, the former accountant of the National Center for Knowledge and Innovation in Agriculture under the Ministry of Agriculture, Gazeta.uz reported with reference to the court decision.

Allegedly, in September 2021, the De Nova Agro company, owned by the son of Alisher Turayev (the deputy minister of agriculture), head of the National Center for Knowledge and Innovation in Agriculture (customer), won a tender worth 9.95 billion UZS for the supply of 1 million grape seedlings. At that time, the company’s director was his daughter Anais Turayeva.

According to the case files, Alisher Turayev formed the tender commission from “people loyal to him” (they were named in a separate criminal case), who signed the minutes of the commission meeting, but in fact it was not held.

Despite the conflict of interests, the ex-deputy minister won the tenders of the company De Nova Agro, which was founded by his son Bekjon Turayev. On August 30, 2021, a contract worth 9.95 billion UZS was concluded with the company for the supply of 1 million grape seedlings in vitro.

According to the court decision, although these seedlings were not actually delivered to the center, several fake e-invoices were issued about the receipt of the product, and the “looted” funds were transferred.

Turayev, his daughter and the center’s accountant are also accused of falsifying other official documents on the receipt and delivery of products. It was reported that in 2023, they falsified several reports that 283,400 seedlings in greenhouses died due to root damage during planting, regular power outages, and irrigation system failures, but the plants were not actually delivered.

As noted in the court’s decision, although the certificates that 562,800 seedlings were transferred to the center of agricultural services of Tashkent region were forged, they were not actually delivered there. Also, 509.1 million UZS for plant care and wages were considered unreasonable.

In court, Alisher Turayev stated that he partially confessed to his guilt. He admitted that 700,000 seedlings with a height of 5-25 cm were delivered instead of 1 million units as specified in the agreement. Funds have been legally allocated to hire seasonal workers for the care of seedlings, purchase fertilizers, protection and other tools. In this matter, he does not consider himself guilty. He said that he is ready to deliver the remaining 300,000 seedlings.

Anais Turayeva completely denied her guilt in court. According to her, the contract was signed not by her, but by the director of the De Nova Agro company Strelkovskikh and his father Alisher Turayev. In addition, according to her words, the enterprise delivered 700,000 grape seedlings to the center, another 76,000 are in the greenhouse of the enterprise in Yangiyul district, and the rest were stopped during the production process.

The defendant said that he temporarily managed the enterprise as a director and delivered 700,000 seedlings to the center in three batches in different months. He stated that he does not consider himself to be responsible for the death of plants due to the cold weather and lack of gas.

Chief accountant Mansur Kuzibekov said that he transferred funds to the supplier’s account on the instructions of Turayev and he was not interested in this process and did not receive any material funds in return.

Alisher Turayev was accused of committing crimes under Paragraph “a” of Article 167-3 (Embezzlement in large amounts) and Paragraph “a” of Article 209-2 (Professional fraud committed by a repeated or dangerous recidivist) of the Criminal Code. He was sentenced to 6-year imprisonment, deprived of the right to work in leadership, material and official duties in a state organization for 2 years.

Mansur Kuzibekov was sentenced to 5 years and 6 months in prison for similar charges.

Anais Turayeva was sentenced to 5 years and 1 month in prison under Paragraph “a” of Article 167-3 and Paragraph “a” of Article 209-2 (participation in career fraud) of the Criminal Code. The execution of the sentence was postponed until July 8, 2027, when his son, born in July 2024, turns three years old.

In August 2021, Alisher Melsovich Turayev was appointed to the position of Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Uzbekistan – Director General of the National Center for Knowledge and Innovation in Agriculture. Prior to that, he worked as a professor at the Tashkent State Agrarian University, “Genetics and Breeding of Agricultural Crops” Department.