The Georgian Chief Prosecutor’s Office launched investigation into allegations of police abuse of authority in the Birja Mafia rapper duo case.

Birja Mafia rappers - 28-year-old Mikheil Mgaloblishvili and 21-year-old Giorgi Keburia- were arrested by the police on charges of illegal purchase and possession of excess amount of drugs, which they deny, saying that the drugs were planted by the police in response to their recent rap video mocking police.

The prosecutor’s office said in its statement on June 11 that it launched the investigation based on the testimonies of Mgaloblishvili and Keburia, under the clause of the criminal code dealing with exceeding official powers and an article dealing with fabrication of evidence.

The prosecutor’s office added that it would also uphold the motion of the defense lawyers to replace detention with a non-custodial measure of restraint, considering that the two “are willing to cooperate with the investigation and that they do not have a previous record of criminal conviction.”

According to the statement, Mgaloblishvili’s and Keburia’s cases were transferred from the Tbilisi Police Department to the Chief Prosecutor’s Office for further investigation.