Ex-court official's case linked to probe of former police chief

The investigation of the former head of Chengdu Intermediate People's Court in Sichuan province is connected to the former police chief in Chongqing, Changjiang Times quoted an anonymous source on Monday as saying.

The Sichuan provincial disciplinary authority reported on Jan 5 that Niu Min, the former president of the intermediate people's court, was under investigation for breaking laws and violating Party discipline.

The Hubei province newspaper reported Niu's investigation may be related to former police chief Wang Lijun.

Wang became Chongqing's deputy police chief in 2008, and then initiated the "strike black" campaign against organized crime.

The campaign led to the convictions of many businessmen, including Li Qiang, who was the second-richest man in Banan district.

Wang's attempt to seek asylum at the US Consulate General in Chengdu in 2012 caused an investigation into his activities, and he was later sentenced to 15 years in prison after being found guilty of "bending the law for selfish ends, defection, abuse of power and bribe taking".

The insider told Changjiang Times that Niu's investigation might be attributed to his improper moves when dealing with Wang's case, saying that Niu allegedly perverted the law as he punished Wang.

Niu should have consulted provincial officials, including Li Chuncheng, then Sichuan deputy Party chief with whom he had a good working relationship, when he dealt with Wang's case, the insider said.

After Wang received his sentence, several people reported that the court allegedly omitted some other offenses allegedly committed by him, according to the insider.

In addition, the anonymous source said that Niu's investigation might be related to his wife's improper activities in auditing work.

In early December, Niu's wife, Xu Qin, and the director of the audit bureau in Dujiangyan were taken away for interrogation.

It is said that Xu was reported for improper activities while she was engaged in local auditing work and that Niu also received profits after he gave some auditing cases to his wife.

Niu, 52, a native from the province's Jintang county, became a papermaker after he graduated from a light industry school in Sichuan in August 1981.

He worked for almost 20 years in Dujiangyan as a city official before he was transferred to the court. He has no law background.