According to Gela Nikolaishvili, the lawyer for Anzor Jamalashvili—one of the individuals detained by the State Security Service’s (SSS) Anti-Corruption Agency—his client was engaged in buying and selling scrap metal and has no acquaintance with the former Director General of the Georgian Railway, Davit Peradze.

Speaking to InterPressNews, the lawyer explained that his client was interviewed by the investigative agency one month ago. Nikolaishvili is scheduled to visit the detainee at the SSS today.

"I cannot say when the investigation began because the case materials have not been provided yet, as charges have not been officially filed. He was interviewed about a month ago. The discussion involved his work over the years in the scrap metal business; he had his own company. There were questions about whether he had connections with the railway management, and they mentioned various individuals—I believe Davit Peradze was one of them. He says he has no relationship with him, not even an acquaintance... My client was buying and selling scrap metal; this was approximately 5–6 years ago, during the COVID period," the lawyer stated.

For context, the SSS Anti-Corruption Agency has initiated criminal proceedings against the former Director General of the Joint Stock Company "Georgian Railway," Davit Peradze, and 7 other individuals. Two of them, including Davit Peradze, have been declared wanted, while the others were arrested in Tbilisi based on a judge's warrant.

The investigation is ongoing under the Criminal Code of Georgia: Article 180 (Part 3, sub-points 'a' and 'b'; Part 4, sub-point 'a'), Article 194 (Part 3, sub-points 'a' and 'c'), Article 210 (Part 2, sub-point 'a'), as well as Articles 25 and 180 (Part 3, sub-points 'a' and 'b'), Articles 25 and 362 (Part 2, sub-point 'b'), and Article 362 (Part 2, sub-point 'b'). These charges carry a prison sentence of 9 to 12 years. The Anti-Corruption Agency of the State Security Service is continuing active investigative measures to identify other members of the organized group and take legal action against them.

Davit Peradze held the position of Director General of JSC "Georgian Railway" from November 22, 2017, until May 7, 2025.