Indjija Put case: detention ordered for third suspect

The Higher Court in Novi Sad has ordered detention of up to 30 days for suspect D. Dj. in the case of the public enterprise “Indjija Put”, while V. Dj. and M. D. were barred from approaching, meeting or communicating with witnesses for three months. With that, the court has ruled on all six suspects arrested in Indjija, among them the municipal president Marko Gasic.

According to the court’s statement, D. Dj. was ordered detained because of circumstances indicating that he could obstruct the proceedings by influencing witnesses. All three suspects the court has now ruled on are suspected of aiding the abuse of official position. The ruling can be appealed to the criminal panel of the Special Anti-Corruption Department of the Higher Court in Novi Sad.

What led to the decision on the remaining three?

Six suspects were arrested on Sunday, November 8, on the order of the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Novi Sad. The order to conduct an investigation covers seven people, and according to the prosecution, one suspect is on the run and is being sought.

The first rulings came on November 9. The Higher Court in Novi Sad then ordered up to 30 days in detention for Gasic, the municipal president and former director of “Indjija Put”, and for its current director, Uros Trifunovic. According to what the court told the Tanjug news agency, they were detained so that they could not influence witnesses or repeat the offense. The same day, suspect T. J., who is charged with money laundering, received a three-month ban on approaching, meeting or communicating with witnesses.

What are the suspects accused of?

Gasic and Trifunovic are suspected of using their official positions as directors of “Indjija Put”, between 2023 and 2025, to ensure that public procurement for road marking and traffic signage work in the municipality of Indjija went to a bidder agreed in advance. According to the prosecution’s suspicion, contrary to the procurement criteria, they signed contracts with the chosen bidder and ordered a payment of 26,961,059 dinars, although they knew the contracted work had not been carried out. They are charged with abuse of official position for this.

D. Dj., V. Dj. and M. D. are accused of helping them by drawing up, signing and certifying false technical documentation, on the basis of which the payment was made. T. J. is accused of holding money paid on the basis of fictitious invoices for a construction service that allegedly took place, although she knew the money came from criminal activity.

Until a final verdict, all of them remain suspects, and the detention rulings and bans can be challenged by appeal before the panel of the Special Anti-Corruption Department.