Investigators to Review Lawmaker's Alleged Illegal Hunting

YEKATERINBURG, January 11 (RIA Novosti) – Investigators in Russia’s Sverdlovsk Region are checking into media reports that a State Duma deputy from the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) and his son were involved in illegal hunting in a local reserve, according to the Sverdlovsk branch of the Investigative Committee.

The investigative body cited media reports from January 2 that claimed Vladimir Taskayev and his 25-year-old son were stopped in the Bogdanovich state hunting reserve outside Yekaterinburg by an inspector, who found hunting rifles and deer carcasses in the men’s car.

But the inspector reportedly let Taskayev off after realizing he was a deputy. Shortly after, the deputy and his son were stopped a second time, only to be released again.

A preliminary investigation will be taken up by the local branch of Russia's Investigative Committe, the body said in a statement Friday.

Igor Lebedev, a deputy Duma speaker also from the LDPR, said earlier that his party would push for Taskayev’s ouster if it was proven that he broke the law.