New details have surfaced in the media about a truly gangster-like story that recently unfolded in Bali. We previously reported on the high-profile case involving extortion and kidnapping, and the latest developments are just as intriguing.
Russian national Hasan Askhabov, who was suspected of the aforementioned crimes, has now filed a complaint with Indonesia’s Criminal Investigation Department against the alleged victim—Ukrainian citizen Igor Lermakov. Askhabov claims he has suffered moral damages due to defamation. In his complaint, he states that he does not know Lermakov and has no connections to the other Russian suspects in the case.
Earlier reports stated that 30-year-old Hasan Askhabov had been released from custody and left Bali, having been declared not guilty. Askhabov’s lawyer, Edward Pangahila, said his client was freed on the evening of Friday, January 31, after being detained the day before. He emphasized that Askhabov had been subjected to intense police questioning throughout his detention. However, in the end, authorities found insufficient evidence to charge him.
“The counterclaim is related to false accusations or providing false testimony to the police. Igor claimed that he was assaulted by several individuals, including my client, Hasan,” the lawyer stated.
He also argues that at the time of the alleged attack on December 15, 2024, Askhabov was not even in Bali. According to him, Askhabov only arrived on the island in January 2025.
“Igor stated that on December 15, 2024, my client participated in an assault and extortion scheme. However, on that day, Hasan was not in Indonesia—he was in Dubai. He only arrived in Indonesia on January 15, 2025, a month after the incident. How could someone in another country commit a crime in Bali?” the lawyer questioned.
He further explained that the complaint was filed to ensure Hasan’s safety should he return to Indonesia and to hold Lermakov accountable for making a false accusation.
Meanwhile, after his release, Askhabov posted a message on Instagram saying “Money decides everything”, right next to Lermakov’s last name. If Askhabov was truly uninvolved in the case, the question remains: what exactly did money “decide”?
Sources: detik
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