SIS revealed details of extortion of bribes by NSS officers in  especially large amounts

ArmInfo. The Special  Investigation Service SIS) of Armenia completed the preliminary  investigation in the criminal case of extortion and receiving bribes  on an especially large scale by officials of the National Security  Service (NSS) of Armenia.

In particular, according to the press service of the SIS, the  evidence obtained during the investigation of the criminal case  investigated by the Special Investigation Service about receiving a  large bribe by the NSS and abuse of power, and revealed by the NSS,  it is substantiated that the officials of the national security body,  having entered into a preliminary conspiracy to receive a bribe, they  demanded and received a large-scale bribe from an Indian citizen  through extortion. Going beyond their authority, they also inflicted  significant damage to the rights of citizens and the legitimate  interests of the state.

According to the indictment, Edik Apoyan, occupying the post of head  of the department of the relevant department of the National Security  Service in Yerevan, having previously been aware of the problems with  the law enforcement bodies of an Indian citizen Sandip Kaushik in  India, entered into a preliminary conspiracy with the police officer  of the same department, Gevorg Gabrielyan, on receiving a bribe large  size from Kaushik.  To this end, G. Gabrielyan visited the apartment  of S. Kaushik on July 24, 2019, where, having gone beyond his  authority, he committed illegal actions: without the availability of  the appropriate proceedings and protocol, he examined things and  documents that belonged to S. Kaiushik, and stated that he received  from Indian law enforcement letter of his deportation from Armenia.  Then, in exchange for non- deportation, he demanded the entire amount  available at that time in the house, after which he personally  received an amount of $ 5,000, equivalent to AMD 2 379 750.

Then G. Gabrielyan escorted S. Kaushik and two other Indian citizens  who were in the apartment to the administrative building of the  corresponding department of the NSS, where, in the office of the head  of the department, Edik Apoyan, together with the latter, threatening  to bring Kaushnik to justice, they demanded a bribe of $ 50 thousand  and received from this amount 17,700 dollars, which is equivalent to  8,423,564 drams.

In particular, having received the consent of S. Kaushik, G.  Gabrielyan the next day personally received an amount of $ 7,900,  equivalent to AMD 3,759,926, demanding that the remaining amount of  the bribe be paid. G. Gabrielyan's friend Gor Martirosyan, having  learned that part of the bribe in the amount of $ 4,800, equivalent  to AMD 2 286 888, is from another Indian citizen, visited him on July  31, 2019 and personally received the required amount.

For committing the above criminal acts, Edik Grigoryan and Gevorg  Gabrielyan were charged under part 1, article 309 (abuse of power)  and paragraph 2, part 4, article 311 (taking a bribe on an especially  large scale) Criminal Code of Armenia, and Gor Martirosyan - in part  1, articles 38-309 (complicity in exceeding official powers) and  paragraph 2, part 4, articles 311 (complicity in taking bribes on a  large scale ).

"The preliminary investigation in the criminal case has been  completed. The case with the indictment has been sent to the  prosecutor conducting supervision, with a motion to be sent to the  court," the investigative body said in a statement.