11:04, 26 марта 2026, Bishkek - 24.kg news agency , Turdubek AIGYROV
Melis Turgunbaev, the former head of the National Bank of Kyrgyzstan, has been detained and placed in a temporary detention facility, sources in the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported.
According to them, on March 25, officers from the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Investigative Service summoned Melis Turgunbaev for questioning as a witness in a case related to Kyrgyzneftegaz OJSC. Following the investigation, he was detained.
Melis Turgunbaev previously held several leadership positions in the oil and gas industry. In particular, he was Chairman of the Management Board and Board of Directors of Kyrgyzneftegaz OJSC.
He also served as Minister of Natural Resources, Ecology, and Technical Supervision, and later as Head of the National Bank.
Melis Turgunbaev’s name may have surfaced in the investigation into possible violations at Kyrgyzneftegaz, where he held a senior position for a long time.
Official comments from law enforcement agencies on this matter were not received at the time of publication.