Former land official Yin Guoyuan and his wife are being investigated for being unable to account for their wealth, including several properties, Shanghai newspapers reported yesterday.
Mr Yin, former deputy director of the Shanghai Housing and Land Administration, was being investigated by the Shanghai Commission for Discipline Inspection for violating the law and Communist Party rules, the Oriental Morning Post and Shanghai Daily reported.
Mr Yin, who held his position for 10 years before stepping down in 2005 to head an industry group, held the power to approve land transfer contracts.
Reports quoted government sources as saying the land leases boomed during Mr Yin's tenure, while the official himself talked up the market by saying property prices would not drop.
Authorities sacked Shanghai Party Secretary Chen Liangyu last September over his role in a corruption case which involved misappropriation of the city's pension fund.
A new Shanghai party secretary, Xi Jinping , took over last month.