Several Defendants of the Teachers' Cultural Fund Were Returned from the Airport

The head of the committee investigating the Teachers' Cultural Fund states that several defendants related to this case have been returned while attempting to leave the country. According to Mehr News Agency, Jabbar Kuchakinejad announced this and called for monitoring the defendants until their cases are resolved in court, adding that 'several individuals related to the Teachers' Cultural Fund case have been taken off planes and returned.' Mr. Kuchakinejad reported that the exact number of defendants who intended to leave Iran is two, stating: 'They have been returned, but Imam has managed to leave the country; however, I do not have precise information on how he exited.' Mohammad Imam, the producer of the series 'Shahrzad,' was arrested, and after his detention, Hossein Maqsoudi, the spokesperson for the Economic and Administrative Corruption Fighting faction in Parliament, officially announced that 'the manner of his debt repayment to the Teachers' Cultural Fund' was the reason for his arrest. The head of the investigation committee further stated that even when defendants are released on bail, 'they must be monitored, and various organizations in the country should be informed that these individuals are prohibited from leaving.' In response to the question of whether the bail amounts for these individuals were 'light' enough for them to attempt to leave Iran, he said: 'Heavy bails have been set, but the prohibition of exit must be registered in the systems and accurately communicated to customs, airports, and other organizations, as many such cases have been observed.' Previously, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the first deputy of the judiciary, confirmed the arrest of several individuals in this case, including Shahabuddin Ghandali, the CEO of this fund. The case, referred to as 'an 8 trillion tomans financial violation,' was also raised during the presidential election campaigns and became a topic for opponents of Hassan Rouhani to pressure him. Reports indicate that Mahmoud Sadeghi, a representative from Tehran in Parliament, stated that the financial violations in this fund occurred between 2007 and 2013 during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency. The Teachers' Cultural Fund has over 800,000 members affiliated with the Ministry of Education and pays annual interest on the monthly deposits of teachers.