Taiyuan police chief Li Yali on probation

Li Yali, the scandal-plagued police chief in Taiyuan , capital of Shanxi province, has been placed on probation within the Communist Party for one year and is set to be fired, state media said.

The provincial committee for discipline inspection in Shanxi, with the approval of the party's provincial committee, imposed the intra-party disciplinary punishment on Li, who was concurrently a deputy head of the Shanxi provincial public security bureau, Xinhua reported yesterday.

Disciplinary officials also reportedly proposed to the provincial people's congress that Li be removed from his incumbent posts.

Li was suspended from his post and subjected to an internal investigation by the party's graft-busting watchdog after he allegedly tried to cover up a drink-driving case involving his son, Li Zhengyuan , who is alleged to have attacked the traffic officer who pulled him over on October 13, Xinhua reported early last month.

The officer was quoted by Xinhua as saying that Li Zhengyuan became angry and struck the officer when he asked Li to get out of his car.

The incident came after Li told the officer he forgot his driver's licence, and instead handed the officer a public security bureau entry card. When the officer asked Li why someone associated with the public security bureau would assault a police officer, the officer said Li's reply was, "Yes, I am beating you up. Why can't I do that?"