A court ruled on Monday the mayor of Galiche village, Tsenko Chokov, is to be released from custody and placed under house arrest for health reasons.

The Specialized Criminal Court of Bulgaria took into account a medical report saying the arrest of Chokov, indicted on charges of running an organized criminal gang in his village, "unlocked" some old diseases and caused some new ones.

Diabetes and hyperension are among several diseases registered after Chokov was placed in custody, but also claustrophobia, the Bulgarian National Radio quotes a medic as saying at the court hearing.

The court also finds it unlikely for him to avert justice by hiding. The latter motive was also cited to free his son Martin Chokov, who will also be under house arrest.

Tsenko Chokov, alongside his son and several others, was charged last year with participating in a criminal group, run by the mayor himself, which allegedly dealt with usury, racketeering, kidnapping, inflicting physical injuries and setting cars on fire.

The house arrest ruling will be appealed, with a final sitting to consider the appeal on January 17.

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