Party school official suspended after scandal

An official from Shaanxi province was suspended on Wednesday after a series of photos showing him naked on a bed with a woman were posted online by a woman claiming to be his former girlfriend.

Qin Guogang, 56, deputy principal of Shaanxi Provincial Party School under the Shaanxi provincial committee of the Communist Party of China, was suspended as the case was placed under investigation.

The woman, surnamed Li, a 35-year-old single mother with a teenage daughter, claims that Qin told her he was single and that he would marry her. When that turned out to be false, they quarreled, and she was later beaten by Qin and his wife, her lawyer said.

Photos of Li's injured face were posted online on Jan 13, along with the naked pictures and Li's student card. She had been studying for a master's degree at the school. Nine photos were posted altogether.

The lawyer, Qu Jianguo of Shaanxi Fazheng Ping'an Law Firm, said the sex photos released online were clips from an hour-long video shot by Li and Qin on Aug 13, Chinese Velentine's Day, as a memorial to their love.

Qin became deputy principal of the Party school in August 2004. The school, which is located in Xi'an, the provincial capital, was established in 1934 and is the oldest local Party school of the Communist Party of China.

Qu, the lawyer, said that Li met Qin in August 2012 and fell in love with him. Their relationship continued until the end of December 2013, when Li learned that Qin had cheated on her, Qu said.

They quarreled, and on Dec 20 she was invited by Qin to his office, where she was beaten by him and his wife, Yang Ying, director of the retired employees' office of Shaanxi Daily, Qu said.

Li alleges that Qin offered to pay 200,000 yuan ($33,091) to her as compensation, but she refused to take the money.

She reported her injuries to the police.

An officer at Xiaozhai police station, which received Li's complaint, confirmed that her injury allegations are being investigated.

Xu Feng of the Party school said Qin provided a written explanation.

On Wednesday afternoon, before the suspension, Qin was still listed as the school's head on the school's official website. Efforts to reach him were unsuccessful.

At least 10 officials have faced punishments after sex photos were exposed online in recent years.