Former senior food, drug administration official indicted

BEIJING - Wu Zhen, former deputy head of the now-defunct China Food and Drug Administration, has been indicted on charges of abuse of power and taking bribes, the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) said Tuesday.

Wu's case had been investigated by the National Supervisory Commission. Upon the designation of the SPP, the People's Procuratorate of Chengdu, Sichuan province reviewed the case and filed it in the Chengdu Municipal Intermediate People's Court.

Prosecutors accused Wu of cheating in his work for personal purposes and abusing his power when he served as a senior official of the country's food and drug and health authorities, causing "huge losses" to the interests of the country and the people.

He was also accused of taking advantage of his posts to seek benefits for others and accepting vast amounts of money and gifts.

The SPP said the prosecutors had informed the defendant of his litigation rights, interrogated him and listened to the defense counsel's opinions.