YEREVAN. – The Criminal Court of Appeal of Armenia on Tuesday ruled in favor of the prosecution’s appeal and ordered that former of transport and communication minister and Stones company coordinator Gurgen Sargsyan be remanded in custody.

The Armenian News-NEWS.am correspondent reported from the court that the ex-minister was transferred from the courthouse to prison, and with police escort.

In September, the investigator had filed a petition with the court of first instance to have Sargsyan taken into custody. But the court had denied that petition and released him on a 10mn-dram bail.

Gurgen Sargsyan was charged during the investigation of the criminal case into misuse in the course of the development and implementation of the North-South Road Corridor Program.

According to the indictment, Gurgen Sargsyan—along with Sedrak Arustamyan and Suren Avagyan—had signed fake contracts and fake service accounts with the contractor constructing the Talin-Lanjik and Lanjik-Gyumri sections of this highway, and whereby illicit funds were written off from this company.

Subsequently, they had concealed the origin of these funds through various remittances and encashments.