A veteran government official, rumoured to have colluded with big business, was among those hauled away by local discipline authorities at the recently concluded Hebei Provincial People’s Congress, mainland reports said.
Liang Shulin, a deputy to the law committee of the provincial legislature, was seen being apprehended on the last day of the meeting. Reports accusing Liang of colluding with a real estate tycoon and other illegal activities have been circulating since 2012.
However, neither the central nor provincial discipline authority confirmed he was under investigation amid a sweeping crackdown by President Xi Jinping, who renewed his call on Wednesday to launch a tough fight against corruption from the lowest to the highest ranks of government.
But an unnamed Hebei official told the newspaper that Liang’s case was “less serious” than Liu’s.
Officials at the meeting said Liu, 60, was approached and escorted out by three officers as people were leaving the conference hall, Xinhua reported.