Ex-official in bribes trial

A former senior official suspected of dereliction of duty stood trial in Beijing No 2 Intermediate People's Court on Thursday, Beijing Evening News website reported.

The report said Tong Mingqian was accused of fraud involving more than 500 lawmakers in Hengyang, a city in Hunan province. The alleged offence took place from Dec 28, 2012, to Jan 3, 2013.

Tong, then Party chief of Hengyang, was in charge of an election.

The Supreme People's Procuratorate designated Beijing No 2 People's Procuratorate to institute a public prosecution against Tong, and the capital's prosecutors did so on June 23, the report said.

Tong was "seriously irresponsible" and failed to fulfill his supervisory duties, leaving room for serious bribery in the election for deputies to Hunan Provincial People's Congress, the local legislature, according to the report.

His actions seriously infringed the interests of the nation and its people, the report quoted the prosecutors' indictment as saying.

The court did not give a verdict on Thursday.

It is the largest case of alleged electoral fraud in China, with the amount of money involved exceeding 110 million yuan ($18.14 million).

Tong, who was vice-chairman of the Hunan provincial committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, was sacked in January.

caoyin@chinadaily.com.cn