The week will see continued interest in the China Venture Capital trial - allegedly the largest stock manipulation case in China involving 5.4 billion yuan (about HK$5 billion).
The case ended without a verdict in Beijing's No 2 Intermediate People's Court last Tuesday. The high-profile case took a mysterious turn when company chairman Chen Feng was stabbed in Shenzhen less than four hours before the trial ended and two days ahead of its general meeting.
Local media chased Mr Chen, now chairman of Kondarl, (the new name for China Venture Capital) as he was escorted on a stretcher out of the hospital under heavy security on Thursday afternoon. He suffered two serious stab wounds to his right leg, local media said. Mr Chen could be handicapped from the stabbing but was in stable condition, a member of the hospital staff was quoted as saying.
Mr Chen was attacked by men wielding knives outside his office late on Tuesday afternoon when employees were off and most security guards were having dinner. Apparently Mr Chen had been warned of such attempt but his bodyguards, including a former martial art champion, failed to protect their boss.
There has been much speculation had been on whom was trying to kill Mr Chen and whether the incident was linked to the trial of eight defendants over the stock rigging case which is said to have taken place between August 1999 and February 2000.
Analysts and market observers questioned whether the much-anticipated trial could expose and persecute those who were responsible for the loss of a huge amount private investment and public money. Both of the two masterminds are still at large.