Former Guangdong official under investigation

The country's top anti-graft body has required the Guangdong Provincial Party Commission of Discipline Inspection to further investigate a retired senior official from the province's Party Organization Department on suspicion of serious violations of Party discipline and laws.

Lin Cunde, former executive deputy head of the Guangdong Party Organization Department, was taken away by anti-graft officials at the end of September for involvement in the case of Wan Qingliang, according to caixin.com.

Wan, a former member of the Standing Committee of the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee and Party chief of Guangzhou, was investigated and sacked at the end of June for serious violations of Party discipline and taking bribes.

The country's anti-graft body has also transferred Wan's testimony alleging corruption by Lin to the Guangdong Provincial Party Commission of Discipline Inspection for further investigation, caixin.com reported.

Officials from Guangdong's top anti-graft body did not comment on the case.

Lin's case has raised concern at home and abroad and rocked the political arena in prosperous Guangdong province, which borders the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, as Lin is the husband of Zhao Yufang, deputy governor of Guangdong.

Zhao, 59, was promoted to deputy governor in 2011 from director general of the Guangdong Department of Land Resources. She is mainly in charge of foreign trade, ports, foreign affairs, tourism, overseas Chinese affairs, Hong Kong and Macao affairs and Taiwan affairs.

Lin had been retired for about a year when he was taken away by the anti-graft body.

Having previously been in charge of assessing and promoting local officials, Lin was investigated for having very close relations with officials who recently came under investigation in Guangdong, caixin.com reported.

After Lin was investigated, Liang Yimin, Party chief of Maoming, a coastal city in western Guangdong, was also taken away by anti-graft officials on Oct 10 for further investigation of alleged serious violations of Party discipline.

The Guangdong provincial anti-graft body has announced it will further investigate Liang's case, according to caixin.com.

Liang was mayor of Maoming before being promoted to city Party chief in February 2013.