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PGO summons ex-PM Kasyanov amid senator probe-1

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MOSCOW, February 22 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian Prosecutor General's Office confirmed Thursday that it has summoned former Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov as part of the investigation into the case of a former deputy finance minister and current member of the upper house of parliament.

Tatiana Razbash, Kasyanov's press secretary, told RIA Novosti that the former premier, who is currently abroad, has been informed that he must appear at the Prosecutor General's Office February 26.

Prosecutors accuse Andrei Vavilov, 46, and a number of bankers of creating a criminal group in 1997 and embezzling $231 million in a deal on MiG fighter deliveries to India.

On January 10, the Supreme Court ruled that Vavilov's actions could be classified as criminal and consented to his prosecution for the first time. Vavilov's lawyers appealed the decision, which made his arrest impossible until the court's new ruling.

On February 13, the Supreme Court upheld charges of fraud and abuse of office against Vavilov.

The ruling thereby sanctions Vavilov's prosecution despite his parliamentary immunity, which is allowed under Russian law.

A controversial oil magnate, Vavilov was the first deputy finance minister in 1994-97 under former President Boris Yeltsin, and controlled the funds allocated for Yeltsin's second presidential campaign in 1996.

Vavilov was one of the architects of the Russian stock market and formerly owned the Severnaya Neft oil company. He currently represents the Penza Region of European Russia in the upper house of parliament

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