The investigation is being conducted upon the application of Vladimir Potapov’s sister who applied to the ICAT saying that on 23 April 2010 her brother had not returned home from work and in the evening the same day they had learnt  that Potapov had been taken to hospital from the sobering-up station with a craniocerebral injury. He was operated on in the Sergach Central Hospital, sank into a coma and died without regaining consciousness on 29 April 2010.

The applicant believes that Potapov obtained the injuries causing his death through unlawful actions of the detoxification centre staff.

At present the Committee lawyers are considering several versions of Mr. Potapov’s death – negligence of the EMS staff, police abuse and an accident, which is also probable.  

It should be mentioned that, according the forensic medical examination, Mr. Potapov died of brain contusion and subdural hemorrhage, but the mechanism of injury appearance is still not clear.

As for the state, the Sergach Investigation Department (Nizhny Novgorod region) has finished checking the victim’s sister’s application concerning infliction of fatal injuries to Vladimir Potapov. On 3 June 2003 it refused to open a criminal case.