Prosecutor says Davaadalai's wife has sought immigration in the US as preliminary hearing opens

A preliminary hearing opened on November 11 in the criminal case against former Ulaanbaatar first deputy governor T. Davaadalai, his younger brother T. Munkhdalai, A. Yerbol and N. Bilguun. During the hearing the prosecutor said Davaadalai's wife, B. Ankhtuya, had been traced through an Interpol blue notice and that the reply showed she is in the United States and has filed an immigration request.

According to iSee.mn, the hearing began at 10:00 in courtroom B of the Bayanzurkh, Sukhbaatar and Chingeltei District Criminal Court of First Instance, presided over by Judge D. Shinekhuu. The defendants are charged with abuse of power under Article 22.1.2 of the Criminal Code and money laundering under Article 18.6.

Request to postpone rejected

The defendants asked for a postponement because their lawyers were absent, but the court refused. In footage published by Zaluu.com, the judge noted that one lawyer had said he would travel to Hohhot on the 12th and another had written that she would return from South Korea on the 11th. The judge said the case had been with the court for 45 days, that the statutory time had passed, and that the hearing would continue. Davaadalai took part without a lawyer.

Wife left Mongolia in March

Prosecutor G. Onon told the court that Ankhtuya had been sought through an Interpol blue notice, that a reply had been received, and that she is in the US and has applied for immigration, iSee.mn reported. According to local media, Ankhtuya did not appear when summoned by investigators of the Independent Authority Against Corruption, ignored repeated notices from prosecutors, and was found to have left Mongolia in March.

What the case alleges

Kh. Buyantumen, head of the investigations department of the National Police Agency, said earlier that investigators believe Davaadalai unlawfully ran, together with related parties, the selection for a MNT 16.9 billion tender for the feasibility study and design of a new ring road. According to the investigation, companies that won work on the Tuul Expressway and the first ring road may have transferred MNT 5.6 billion to companies founded by his wife and her cousin, MNT 709 million to two companies founded by a friend of his wife, and MNT 47.9 million through a company half-owned by his wife. Property and funds worth MNT 6.2 billion have been frozen. Davaadalai stepped down at his own request on April 29, 2026.

What the defendants say

In courtroom footage shared on X, Davaadalai said he had been charged on the basis of hearsay, and Munkhdalai said he had been made a defendant simply for being Davaadalai's brother. No official outcome of the hearing had been reported at the time of writing. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

Sources: iSee.mn, UBn.mn, Zaluu.com.