Ex-Railway Chief Arrested in Batumi
Georgian Interior Ministry arrested today ex-chief of the Georgian Railway Company and former ally of Eduard Shevardnadze Akaki Chkhaidze in Batumi, the capital of Adjara Autonomous Republic.
The Interior Ministry filed the criminal charges against Akaki Chkhaidze on December 19 for tax evasion.
This morning special group of the Interior Ministry was dispatched to Batumi to arrest Chkhaidze.
Adjara?s Interior Ministry official told Civil Georgia that the operation was not agreed with the Autonomous Republic?s authorities.
President-elect Mikheil Saakashvili has already commented regarding the case and said, ?I will never permit Adjara to become shelter of criminals.?
?We will reach out criminals everywhere. I warned Chkhaidze, as well as Adjarian authorities that we will not let them hide in Adjara,? Saakashvili said.
He added that the operation was held ?without any problems.?
?But we were ready for the problems too. The special purpose unit [of the Interior Ministry] was on high alert,? Saakashvili said.
The Interior Ministry convened Chkhaidze for several times for interrogation, however ex-Railway chief claimed he could not arrive in Tbilisi because of health condition. Chkhaidze was arrested in one of the hospitals of Batumi.
