A leader of pro-Kremlin youth group Nashi has asked the Investigative Committee to conduct an inquiry into possible tax invasion by opposition State Duma Deputy Gennady Gudkov, who has recently been the target of numerous legal actions that he says are aimed at driving him out of politics.
Nashi official Konstantin Goloskokov told The Moscow Times on Monday that he has filed a request with investigators to conduct a probe into the possible failure by Gudkov to pay taxes on business profits while in parliament.
Goloskokov said he used Gudkov's own words from an interview with RIA-Novosti earlier this month in which he said that he has received monthly profits from the Kolomensky Stroitel construction company of 150,000 rubles ($5,000) since 2009.
"It is not often that crooked deputies make honest revelations through the media. This, of course, must be taken advantage of," Goloskokov said in a statement posted on Nashi's website.
Goloskokov said in the statement that Gudkov failed to cite the profits he received from the company in his income declarations, leading to a failure to pay 700,000 rubles in taxes since 2009, according to his count.
The move against the opposition deputy from the left-wing Just Russia party is seen as a continuation of attacks against Gudkov's business interests that he has faced since becoming actively involved in the anti-Kremlin protest movement.
Goloskokov earlier had accused Gudkov of illegally being gifted a stake in Kolomensky Stroitel. The Nashi official said his request to conduct an inquiry into how Gudkov acquired his stake in the company is currently being reviewed by the Prosecutor General's Office.
Gudkov said in response to that allegation that he used his stake in Kolomensky Stroitel for income, since he donated his salary to a charity, RIA-Novosti reported.
Gudkov, a former KGB officer, was forced to sell his private security company in June after police threatened to remove its license for violations found during an inspection.
Vedomosti later reported that the ruling United Russia party might seek to remove Gudkov's parliamentary immunity to open the door to an investigation of his business dealings during his time as a Duma member.
Goloskokov said he would be glad if the deputy lost his seat in parliament.
"If a crook loses his post because he annoys someone, I see nothing bad in it," Goloskokov said.
Gudkov could not be reached for comment Monday regarding Goloskokov's allegations. He has said in the past that the Kremlin is using all available means to drive him out of politics.
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