A forensic examination has found that jailed Moscow real estate agency owner Vera Trifonova died as a result of a tube being left in her body after surgery, a spokesman for the Investigative Committee said on Friday.
Trifonova, 53, died in jail on April 30 after spending four months awaiting trial on fraud charges. She was wheelchair-bound and had been diagnosed with diabetes and kidney disease.
Vladimir Markin said the death of the businesswoman was caused by a thrombosis of a right femoral vein from the "long-term presence of an intravenous catheter."
The spokesman said a criminal investigation had been launched in the hospital wing of the Matrosskaya Tishina pre-trial detention facility to find out who was responsible for the error.
Investigators and court officials refused to release the sick woman despite concerns about her poor health.
Judge Olga Makarova, who extended Trifonova's custody, has quit her job and criminal proceedings have been launched against her.
Deputy Head of the Moscow Region investigations department Alexander Filippov and Moscow Region Investigator Sergei Pysin, who was dealing with Trifonova's case have been dismissed.
Trifonova, who headed KitElitNedvizhimost real estate agency, was alleged to have attempted to sell a State Duma seat to Pavel Razumov, a board chairman of MFT-Bank, for $1.5 million.
MOSCOW, June 11 (RIA Novosti)
