Azerbaijan, Baku / Тrend corr E. Javadova / The criminal trial involving Azerbaijan's former Minister of Economic Development, Farhad Aliyev, his brother Rafik Aliyev, former President of the Azpetrol Group of Companies, and seventeen other people, is in progress at the Court of Heinous Crimes presided by Judge Tofik Pashayev on 7 August.
The Tax Inspector of the Audit Department 3 of the Tax Department at the Azerbaijani Tax Ministry, Eldar Musayev, gave evidence at the beginning of the trial. He took part in the investigation of Prestige shops owned by R. Aliyev. Musayev noted that during the examination it was revealed that taxes were reduced by AZN 81,292,410. Double book-keeping documents were uncovered at the central office of Prestige. Jewellery prices were reduced in the book-keeping.
Later Tax Inspector, Bahman Abbasov, testified at the trial. He noted that from October 2005 to April 2006 he took part in the investigation of Azinvest Company owned by the Azpetrol group of companies. They revealed that there was a shortfall in taxes by AZN 57,960,110.