Kazakhstan's special services said that they managed to thwart plans of local businessman Tokhtar Tuleshov?€™s to stage a coup d?€™etat, the Interfax news agency reported Monday.
?€?Since last year, Tuleshov has been actively preparing for a violent seizure of power,?€? said spokesman for the National Security Committee, Ruslan Karasev.
?€?Tuleshov?€™s plan was to create tensions within the country by organizing protests and riots,?€? Karasev claimed, adding that the resulting upheaval could have allowed the businessman to create an ?€?alternative government.?€?
The special services have also detained several of Tuleshov?€™s alleged accomplices, including a former deputy prosecutor general and a former member of the constitutional council, Interfax reported.
Weapons and explosives were also found to be in Tuleshov?€™s possession during the course of the investigation, Interfax reported.
Tuleshov is also charged with drug possession and a number of serious crimes including kidnapping and deliberate destruction of property.