Whistleblower to work with authorities

Disciplinary investigators met with a whistleblower in a graft case in Central China's Henan province on Tuesday, Zhengzhou Evening News reported.

Authorities from Zhengzhou, capital of Henan province, vowed to work closely with the whistleblower and conduct a thorough investigation. The report stated that investigators will protect the whistleblower's privacy and call for more informants to contact them.

The whistleblower agreed to communicate directly with the investigation task force. The case first came to light on the whistleblower's micro blog on Dec 26, when the netizen accused Zhai Zhenfeng, former director of the housing administration bureau in Erqi district of Zhengzhou, of misconduct for personal gain.

Zhai was found to have 29 houses, leading him to be placed in criminal detention for corruption on April 4. The local public security department found that Zhai, his wife, their son and daughter all have two hukou, or residence permits. The illegal residence permits have been nullified.

Investigators will make public any new information as it comes to light.

On Sept 11, Zhai was removed from his post for a number of disciplinary offences, including seeking profit for his family.

Zhai was among a number of Chinese officials who have been exposed by whistleblowers on the Internet and later investigated by disciplinary watchdogs.

Other cases include the exposure of an official in Shaanxi province who was found to own at least 11 expensive watches and another official who was dismissed from his urban management post in Guangdong province for allegedly owning 22 houses.