Preliminary investigation of the criminal case initiated on forming an organized group and committing banditry with the intend of swindling property in large amount, committing murder combined with banditry out of mercenary motives, as well as contraband of goods in large amount was completed in General Department of Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of RA Investigative Committee.
Through preliminary investigation it was found that the 35 year-old resident of Yerevan used to go to Dubai city of United Arab Emirates to work where he was engaged in trade of diamonds and established business relations with the employee of an office engaged in trade of diamonds operating in trade center of gold located in “Deyra” district of Dubai, the citizen of India Salonki.
Through the investigation sufficient data were obtained on the allegation that the man formed an organized group involving his 24 year-old cousin and the latter’s 26 year-old friend with the intend of swindling diamonds in large amount, murdering the Indian citizen and smuggling the diamonds to Armenia.
In January, 2014 the two members of the group left for Dubai and lived with 35 year-old resident of Yerevan in the hotel room rented by the latter. According to the plan the 35 year-old man and his cousin met Salonki in the office of the company and ordered diamonds arranging to sign the purchase transaction on the evening of 22 January, 2014.
In order to conceal the traces of the planned crime, to organize their escape in a safe way, on the morning of 22 January, 2014 the members of the group handed the hotel room and on the same day fixed a room in another hotel located near the trade center of gold located in “Deyra” district.
Through investigation sufficient data were obtained on the allegation that on the same day at 20:15 two members of the organized group went to the trade center of gold under the pretext of seeing and examining the diamonds.
According to the plan developed in advance with the intend of swindling the diamonds they attacked Salonki, illegally deprived him of life by means of mechanical suffocation and swindled 6.800 carats diamonds of different colors cost 1.700.000 USD tantamount to 691.883.000 AMD.
According to investigation data they left the building of trade center at 21:31, met the third member of the group waiting for them not far from the crime site and handed him the swindled diamonds. At 21:40 the latter went to the hotel, filled the swindled diamonds in several types of liquid soap bottles with intend to smuggle them to the Republic of Armenia and put them in the suitcase of the 35 year-old man. Then taking the suitcases at 21:55 he handed the hotel room and met the 35 year-old man – his cousin and his friend at the destination arranged in advance.
The members of the group arrived in Yerevan on January 23, 2014 at 10:26 on Dubai-Yerevan flight N 715. The part of the diamonds was found through the inspection of the 35 year-old man’s luggage at the customs control zone of “Zvartnots” airport.
In 2014 a motion was submitted to RA Prosecutor General’s Office by the competent bodies of United Arab Emirates on handing the three citizens of the Republic of Armenia charged with attacking the Indian citizen Salonki in Dubai city of UAE on January 22, 2014 and murdering him, as well as swindling diamonds which was rejected by the decision of RA Prosecutor General dated 13.03.2014. The criminal case was initiated and the preliminary investigation was conducted in the investigative bodies of the RA.
On the base of the obtained evidence the three RA citizens were charged pursuant to the Points 7, 8 of the Part 2 of the Article 104, the Points 1 and 2 of the Part 3 of the Article 175 and the Part 4 of the Article 215 of RA Criminal Code.
The criminal case with the bill of indictment was sent to the prosecutor supervising the legality of preliminary investigation.
