Ex-Beijing transport chief faces graft charges
Song Jianguo alleged to have taken bribes of over 23 million yuan, including kickbacks to issue highly sought-after car registration plates in the capital
A former head of Beijing’s transport authority has been charged with taking bribes worth over 23 million yuan (HK$29 million), including accepting cash to issue car registration plates, according to a newspaper report.
Song Jianguo was the ex-chief of the Beijing Transport Administration and among the allegations against him is that he supplied car plates to individuals and several taxi firms for kickbacks, the Beijing Times reported.
Registration plates are issued during a lottery in the capital every two months, in an attempt to control traffic numbers, and are highly sought after.
The charges also relate to his previous role as head of the Public Security Bureau in the Tongzhou district of the capital, the report said.
The Economy & National Weekly, a periodical run Xinhua, reported in December 2012 that Song was under investigation for disciplinary violations, the euphemism used by the Communist Party to describe corruption.
The investigation was triggered because Song had allegedly exhibited favouritism and committed irregularities in the car number plate draw, the report said.