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Former Chinese Politburo Member Expelled From Party

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China's Politburo, the Communist Party's central ruling body, expelled former member Bo Xilai from the party on Friday for what it said were "serious breaches of discipline," local media reported.

China's Politburo, the Communist Party's central ruling body, expelled former member Bo Xilai from the party on Friday for what it said were "serious breaches of discipline," local media reported.

Bo, 63, a former Chongqing city party leader, had been regarded as one of the party's leading lights and was seen as a future national leader until a scandal erupted after his wife was accused and later convicted of murdering a British businessman.

Bo was in line for promotion to the Politburo's standing committee after the 18th party congress, but was expelled from the Politburo and the party's Central Committee in April after the scandal broke.

Bo "took advantage of his office to seek profits for others and received huge bribes personally and through his family," Xinhua reported.

Bo's case will now be passed on to the judicial authorities. Hitherto he has only been investigated by the party.

Bo's wife Gu Kailai was convicted of poisoning British businessman Neil Heywood in November 2011, after he came into conflict with her and her son over "economic interests." She was sentenced to death in August, suspended for two years.

The court also heard that one of Bo Xilai’s ex-associates and former head of the Chongqing Police Wang Lijun had received information that gave reason to suspect Gu Kailai of the killing, but they concealed it from the official investigation. Wang Lijun attempted to take refuge in the U.S. consulate in the city in February.

The court found him guilty of taking bribes of over three million Yuan ($484,000), abuse of authority, and sentenced him to 15 years in prison.

 

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