The chief of the Investigative Department at Khujand Police Directorate Lieutenant-Colonel Dilmurod Shodizoda, who is accused of extortion of a bribe and rape, has been fired for malpractice (abuse of office), Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, known locally as Radio Ozodi, reported on June 19, citing a source close to the investigation.

The source told Radio Ozodi yesterday on the condition of anonymity that Shodizoda was fired “but this decision is not related to the complaint of local resident Shahlo Davlatova.”  

“Shodizoda is now in the reserve of the Interior Ministry of Internal Affairs and his further fate is unknown,” the source added.

The authorities have not officially commented on Shodizoda’s dismissal.  

Recall, a woman from Khujand, Shahlo Davlatova, has accused the Lieutenant-Colonel Dilmurod Shodizoda, of extortion and raping her.  Despite the fact that the Interior Ministry has called the woman’s accusations false, the anticorruption agency's office in Sughd province has launched investigation into this case.

An officer with the anticorruption agency’s office in Sughd province told Radio Ozodi on June 9 that their investigators arranged face-to-face bets of Dilmurod Shodizoda with Shahlo Davlatova and her brother, who says that he turned over 30,000 US dollars to Dilmurod Shodizoda. 

After questionings and face-to-face bets, Dilmurod Shodizoda has not answered Radio Ozodi’s calls.

Shahlo Davlatova told Radio Ozodi that she was detained at the end of last year for illegal currency transactions and the Khujand city court reportedly sentenced her to four years in prison.  The court also imposed a 47,330 somonis fine on her.   

The execution of the sentence was reportedly delayed for four years due to the fact that the woman has a minor child.  Shahlo Davlatova’s child is now 4 years old. 

Shahlo Davlatova accuses Dilmurod Shodizoda of extortion and raping her in his office.  The woman's video was on social media in May.

According her, Dilmurod Shodizoda promised to terminate the proceedings and he demanded 30,000 US dollars for that.  The woman said Shodizoda had raped her in his office.  “I told the investigator that I was pregnant; however, he did not listen to me,” Shahlo Davlatova said.