Court rejects med exam for Lebedev

A Moscow court has rejected a plea by former magnate Platon Lebedev for a medical exam during his fraud trial, Interfax news agency said Wednesday.

Lebedev, former head of the Menatep business group and a close business associate of former Yukos oil Chief Executive Officer Mikhail Khodorkovsky, is on trial on fraud and tax evasion charges. His lawyers have filed a complaint that his health was a matter of serious concern and he needed high quality medical assistance.

However, the Moscow City Court Wednesday rejected the complaint, the news agency said.

It was the second time such an appeal by Lebedev has been rejected. In August the Meshchansky Court in Moscow rejected an earlier plea for an independent medical examination.

(From : Washington Time - United Press International)