Journalists treat news about Abdulatipov's detention as special services' action

Information about the detention of Rajab Abdulatipov at the Moscow airport may be a deliberate leak of data from law enforcement bodies, said the Dagestani journalists interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot".

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on June 19, an informed source reported that the FSB officers had detained Rajab, a brother of Ramazan Abdulatipov, the former head of Dagestan, at the Moscow airport. On the same day, Ramazan Abdulatipov stated that this information was not true.

The fact that the information about Rajab Abdulatipov's detention appeared in three authoritative news agencies – the "Kommersant", the "Interfax" and the RBC ("RosBusinessConsulting") – indicates a deliberate leak of information organized to minimize the pressure on law enforcement bodies in the context of the investigation into the cases where Rajab Abdulatipov may be a figurant, Milrad Fatullaev, the editor-in-chief of the RIA "Derbent", believes.

He suggested that the investigating bodies, while possessing certain materials against Rajab Abdulatipov, are under pressure from his brother Ramazan and federal "patrons" of the former head of Dagestan.

Mr Fatullaev has noted that at the time when Dagestan was headed by Ramazan Abdulatipov, his brother acted as a mediator in solving the republic's cadre issues.

"A candidate wishing to occupy certain post passed through Rajab's office; and after some thanks to the Abdulatipov family, the candidate was handed over to Ramazan Abdulatipov; and the appointment took place," Milrad Fatullaev said.

According to his story, many of those who are now under investigation today are those who passed through Rajab Abdulatipov's office, he added.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’on June 21, 2018 at 06:58 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.