Main suspect in the murder of Deputy Hasan Asadullozoda detained

Dilshod Saidmurodov, the main suspect in the kidnapping and murder of Shukhrat Ismatulloev, is in custody in Dushanbe.

On the morning of October 10, 2023, prominent opposition figure Mukhamadikboli Sadriddin announced on his Facebook page that Russian authorities had handed over Dilshod Saidmurodov, nicknamed Dilshodi “SB,” to Tajikistan.

Mukhamadikboli Sadriddin, editor-in-chief of the Isloh.net portal, citing his sources, wrote: “For three days now Dilshodi “SB” has been in Dushanbe and is being interrogated by investigators. Why are the authorities still silent?”

So far, the authorities have not officially confirmed the detention of Dilshod Saidmurodov or provided details on how he was transported from Russia to Dushanbe.

However, sources close to law enforcement agencies have circulated a photograph on social media showing a man, shackled at the hands and feet, sitting on a chair, presumably in a police station, claiming that this is Dilshod Saidmurodov, nicknamed Dilshodi “SB” or Dilshod-beautiful.

Earlier, on August 28, Tajikistan’s Minister of Internal Affairs Ramazon Rahimzoda traveled to Russia on the orders of Emomali Rahmon. According to official reports, Ramazon Rahimzoda and Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev discussed the detention of Dilshod Saidmurodov, the main suspect in the kidnapping and murder of banker Shukhrat Ismatulloev.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, during this visit, the parties “discussed the detention of criminal Saidmurodov D. in connection with the kidnapping and murder of the Deputy Chairman of OJSC ‘Orionbank’ Shukhrat Ismatulloev.”

The press center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tajikistan previously reported that “on June 23, 2023, at approximately 20:10, on Zakariyoi Rozi Street in the Ismoili Somoni district of Dushanbe, citizen Ismatulloev Shukhrat Abdugaforovich, Deputy Chairman of OJSC ‘Orionbank,’ was seized by an organized criminal group consisting of four individuals using physical force.”

The General Prosecutor’s Office of Tajikistan named Dilshod Saidmurodov as the leader of the criminal group, noting that they “tortured Ismatulloev using physical force, a stun gun, a heat gun, and other means and subsequently killed him.”

It is reported that they, in order to conceal the traces of the crime, dumped the body of the murdered man into a river. After a long search, the body was found on the riverbank in the city of Penjikent.

Shukhrat Ismatulloev was for over 15 years the right-hand man of Khasan Asadullozoda, the brother-in-law of Emomali Rahmon. Prior to his kidnapping, he was the Deputy Chairman of the Board of OJSC ‘Orionbank.’ Among the bank’s clients, he was known as the chief banker and bank manager.

It was previously reported that in connection with the kidnapping and murder of the first Deputy Chairman of OJSC “Orionbank” Shukhrat Abdugaforovich Ismatulloev, 13 suspects have been detained. The 14th suspect is Saidmurodov.

The opinions of Dilshod Saidmurodov himself or his relatives are currently unavailable.