Lawmaker investigated for allegedly accepting bribes

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(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-11-11 08:35

A top legislator in Liaoning province is being investigated for taking bribes from property developers, a newspaper reported yesterday.

Song Yong, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the Liaoning Provincial People's Congress, is under investigation for corruption crimes from 2002 to 2008, when he was mayor and later Party secretary of the city of Chaoyang, Xinwenhua Post reported. The newspaper was based in Liaoning's neighboring province of Jilin.

The 54-year-old was suspended from his post early last month for "seriously violating discipline", and his removal is being processed, the report said, citing the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China.

Song's case was exposed after an investigation began last September on his former subordinate, Song Jiulin, former director of the land and resource bureau of Chaoyang, the report said. Song Jiulin allegedly accepted more than 4 million yuan ($637,000) in bribes.

The report didn't say whether the two Songs are related, but it said that since 2003 they were in charge of a reconstruction project in Chaoyang's Beidajie Street, a complex that covered a quarter of the city area. The two allegedly manipulated project bidding, decreased the compensation for people whose homes had to be relocated for the project, and then built shoddy resettlements for them.

The Songs were also accused of illegally contracting an iron mine to a company.

Song Yong is said to have a close relationship with several real estate developers, and his wife, surnamed Cui, is reported to be a manager of one of these companies.

Cui and her younger brother have been under investigation since June. Song Yong's secretary, Li Yunlong, was also removed from post and was being investigated.

Song Yong's son has more than 40 million yuan in savings, the report said, citing unnamed officials who investigated the case.

The report didn't reveal the son's occupation and legal income.

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