Aide of ex-Chinese President expelled from CPC, to face trial

A close aide of former Chinese president Hu Jintao was today expelled from the ruling Communist Party and will face corruption charges, the latest official to get netted in President Xi Jinping's anti-graft campaign.
Besides removing Ling Jihua from public office, the politburo of the CPC Central Committee at a meeting here has referred him for judicial prosecution, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Ling was also the former vice chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, an advisory legislative body.
Ling's high profile world came down on the night of March 19, 2012 when his son Ling Gu died in a car accident when he was driving a USD 83,000 Ferrari sports car. Two young women, who were in the car with him were seriously injured.

While expelling him from the CPC, the party said that investigations found that Ling seriously violated the political discipline and rules of the party, as well as its organisational and confidentiality discipline.
"He took advantage of his posts to seek profit for others and accepted huge bribes personally and through his family," the CPC said in a statement.

Ling also obtained a great deal of the Party and state's core secrets in violation of laws and discipline. Ling violated regulations on integrity and self-discipline, accepting others' money and belongings personally and through his wife and sought benefits for his wife's businesses, the statement said.

The statement added that Ling committed adultery with a number of women and traded his power for sex.
"He should bear major responsibility for his family members' acts of seeking profits with the influence of his position," the statement said.
Investigation also found clues showing that Ling may have engaged in other criminal offences, it said.
Ling is the second top official of the CPC to go on trial after former security Chief Zhou Yongkang who was sentenced to life last month for graft and abuse of power.
Zhou who was member of the high power Standing Committee of the CPC during Hu's Presidency. He was the highest official of the party to be prosecuted and punished in recent history.

He was also close to disgraced CPC leader, Bo Xilai who too is serving a life sentence for corruption and abuse of power.
These leaders were among thousands of officials of the party, including 35 Generals of the Chinese Military, who faced anti-corruption probes in the anti-graft campaign launched by Xi since he took over power in 2013.