Investigators have opened a probe into the bizarre death of the former deputy head of the Interior Ministry's anti-corruption department, who reportedly jumped out of a window during questioning on Monday.
"During the interrogation, the investigator and lawyer left the room, and at that moment my client dove out the window. He is dead," said Georgy Antonov, the lawyer of Boris Kolesnikov, Interfax reported.
The Investigative Committee posted a statement on its website with a different scenario, however, saying that Kolesnikov, who was being questioned over abuse of office accusations, had asked two guards to let him use the bathroom. He then knocked them over when they removed his handcuffs and jumped from the sixth floor balcony, the statement said.
Lyudmila Alexeyeva, head of the Moscow Helsinki Group and a veteran human rights campaigner, cast doubt on the official version of events, calling the situation "very strange."
"When he ran, knocked over the guards, he just knew that a window was open somewhere? It's very strange somehow. It's unclear whether he jumped himself or was thrown out," Alexeyev said in comments carried by Interfax.
Investigators have opened a probe into Kolesnikov's death, but Alexeyeva has suggested that a public monitoring committee conduct a separate investigation into the incident, Interfax reported.
Kolesnikov was arrested in February over accusations he had abused his position, the same charges that saw his boss, the head of the department, being personally dismissed by President Vladimir Putin.
Several other people were detained in the case, though no charges had been filed against Kolesnikov and the investigation was ongoing.
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