Former rector of the National State Tax Service University of Ukraine Petro Melnyk, who is charged with bribe taking, has escaped from house arrest, having removed his electronic tracking bracelets.

The Interior Ministry has put him on a wanted list, the ministry's press service reported on Friday.

Interior Minister Vitaliy Zakharchenko launched an official investigation to find out the circumstances of the incident.

In addition, the ministry reported that the investigator filed a petition to change the preventive measure for Melnyk from house arrest to custody on Friday morning.

"The suspect was informed about this petition in advance according to Article 184 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine," the report says.

The Interior Ministry is asking Ukrainians for any information about Melnyk's whereabouts.

As reported, Melnyk was detained on July 27 by employees of the main department for domestic security of the Income and Tax Ministry of Ukraine and the main department for the fight against organized crime of the Interior Ministry of Ukraine. The rector is alleged to have demanded from two Ukrainian citizens bribes of UAH 40,000 and UAH 80,000 to accept their relatives' entry to university.

Kyiv's Pechersky District Court on Thursday ruled to place Melnyk under house arrest on suspicion of bribery. Melnyk was not allowed to leave his apartment except in situations in which he might need medical examination or treatment. The official was to stay under house arrest during the investigation into the criminal case until September 27, 2013.

On August 7, tracking bracelets were put on the ex-rector. Law enforcement agencies reported that the procedure of setting the electronic device took a long time. Melnyk became the first senior official to have tracking bracelets put on. He was allowed to move around his house in Irpin, Kyiv region, and go to the hospital in Kyiv and Bucha, taking an agreed route.