Former Beijing deputy Party chief being investigated for bribery

Lyu Xiwen, a former Beijing deputy Party chief, has been placed under house arrest and is under investigation for bribery, the Supreme People's Procuratorate said on Monday.

Lyu was accused of abusing her power to gain benefits for others and accepting their huge bribes, the country's top prosecuting agency said in a released statement. The case is still under investigation.

Last week, Lyu was expelled from the Party and removed from her post for serious discipline violations. The Communist Party of China's Discipline Inspection Commission said she violated political discipline, breached the central authority's major policies and formed cliques to go against the Party's censorship.

Lyu also was accused of illegally selecting and appointing Party officers and interfering in personnel matters, and using her job to benefit her relatives' business projects or benefit other enterprises in order to accept their bribes.

She also was suspected of living a luxury lifestyle and attending private clubs and entertainment venues, according to the commission.

In November, Lyu was investigated for suspected "serious disciplinary violations," becoming the first high-ranking official in the capital under probe since the 18th Party Congress in 2012, when the new leadership took office.