MOSCOW, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Investigators believe that they have caught the right men for an acid attack against Bolshoi Theater's art director Sergei Filin, a senior police officer said Wednesday.
"We are convinced the people detained as a result of our work are responsible for the crime," Maxim Vanichkin, a deputy chief of the Moscow city criminal investigations department, told reporters.
On Jan. 18, Filin was attacked by a man who splashed sulfuric acid on his face, causing third-degree burns to his face and eyes. Moscow court ordered Thursday the arrest of Pavel Dmitrichenko, Andrei Lipatov and Yuri Zarutsky over the assault.
Dmitrichenko, 29, leading dancer of the Bolshoi Theater, was suspected to be the mastermind of the plot carried out by 35-year-old Zarutsky.
"The suspects have no alibi. There is no other suspect," Vanichkin said.
The investigators alleged Dmitrichenko paid Zarutsky 50,000 rubles (1,625 U.S. dollars) to carry out the attack, and Lipatov drove Zarutsky to the scene.
Dmitrichenko said the idea to "punish" Filin was raised by Zarutsky and he did not object. He claimed that he only wanted Filin to be "intimidated," and that splashing acid on Filin's face was Zarutsky's own idea.
Dmitrichenko did not elaborate on his motives but local media reports have referred to disputes between his girlfriend, also a star dancer at the theater, and Filin.
Bolshoi's management said last Wednesday that it was hastily looking for a replacement for Dmitrichenko for two shows in which he had leading roles. The dancer is still listed on the Bolshoi's website as a solo dancer.
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