Former senior official Fu Zhenghua expelled from Party, public office

BEIJING, March 31 (Xinhua) -- Fu Zhenghua, a former official who had served as China's deputy police chief and justice minister, was expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and removed from public office over serious violations of Party discipline and laws.

The punishment of Fu was announced by the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission, China's top anti-graft body, on Thursday.

Fu was deputy head of the Committee on Social and Legal Affairs of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference when the anti-graft body announced an investigation into his wrongdoings last October.

The investigation showed that Fu had totally betrayed his ideals and faith, never genuinely stayed loyal to the Party and people, displayed an "extremely inflated political ambition," and attempted to attain personal political goals unscrupulously, said the anti-graft body statement.

He was involved in the self-serving clique of former vice minister of public security Sun Lijun. He engaged in falsification and even deceived central authorities on major issues, which had undermined the centralized, unified leadership of the Party, said the statement.

The investigation also found that Fu had for a long time carried guns in violation of regulations, engaged in superstitious activities for long, and resisted disciplinary and supervisory investigation into his case.

Fu is suspected of taking bribes and bending the law for personal gains, said the statement, adding that he showed no sign of restraint even after the 18th CPC National Congress.

His case will be transferred to the procuratorate for criminal investigation and prosecution together with the related property, said the statement.