A senior legal adviser at a bank in Namangan, Uzbekistan, has been detained on suspicion of attempting to extort money from a private clinic director.

The official demanded $3,000 in exchange for extending an auction period for seized property by six months and assisting to return it to the clinic, The Caspian Post reports via Uzbek media.

The property had been put up for auction due to an outstanding debt of 16.2 billion Uzbek soums ($1,338,559) owed to the bank.

The case has been reported by State Security Service of Uzbekistan, which confirmed that a criminal investigation has been launched against the suspect.