<p>The ex-police chief at the centre of China's biggest political scandal in years that hit the ruling the Communist Party has been charged with defection, abuse of power and bribe-taking, the state-media reported today.<br /><br />Wang Lijun, 52, was the former police chief of the south -western Chinese city of Chongqing and had a reputation for being tough on organised crime.<br /><br />Wang is charged with defection, abuse of power and bribe -taking, Xinhua news agency reported.<br /><br />The prosecuting body filed the charges against Wang with the Intermediate People's Court of Chengdu City, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, it said.<br /><br />Wang briefly fled to a US consulate in Chongqing in February, triggering a series of events that led to the downfall of the powerful politician Bo Xilai, who was also the Communist Party chief of the major city.</p>.<p>Bo Xilai's wife has since been given a suspended death sentence for the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood.</p>.<p>Bo had been tipped for promotion to China's highest leadership this year at the Communist Party Congress.<br /><br />In early February, the Chongqing city government said Wang had been transfered to another job.<br /><br />Four days later, he fled to the US consulate in Chengdu, near Chongqing, where many believe he sought asylum.<br /><br />He spent the night there but was persuaded to leave a day later. He gave himself up to police and has been in detention since then.<br /><br />According to Xinhua news agency, Wang Lijun is suspected of attempting to cover up Gu Kailai's involvement in the Heywood murder.<br /><br />He knew that Gu Kailai was a suspect, but "consciously neglected his duty and bent the law for personal gain", according to the indictment issued by the Chengdu City People's Procuratorate.<br /><br />He is also accused of leaving his post without authorisation with the intention of defecting at the US Consulate General in Chengdu.<br /><br />He is also suspected of forging documents and of accepting huge sums of money in abuse of his position as vice mayor and police chief of Chongqing.</p>.<p>The People's Procuratorate of Chengdu say the evidence against him was "concrete and abundant", Xinhua said.<br /><br />The Chengdu City Intermediate People's Court has accepted the case and will hold a trial at a later date, the report said.</p>
<p>The ex-police chief at the centre of China's biggest political scandal in years that hit the ruling the Communist Party has been charged with defection, abuse of power and bribe-taking, the state-media reported today.<br /><br />Wang Lijun, 52, was the former police chief of the south -western Chinese city of Chongqing and had a reputation for being tough on organised crime.<br /><br />Wang is charged with defection, abuse of power and bribe -taking, Xinhua news agency reported.<br /><br />The prosecuting body filed the charges against Wang with the Intermediate People's Court of Chengdu City, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, it said.<br /><br />Wang briefly fled to a US consulate in Chongqing in February, triggering a series of events that led to the downfall of the powerful politician Bo Xilai, who was also the Communist Party chief of the major city.</p>.<p>Bo Xilai's wife has since been given a suspended death sentence for the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood.</p>.<p>Bo had been tipped for promotion to China's highest leadership this year at the Communist Party Congress.<br /><br />In early February, the Chongqing city government said Wang had been transfered to another job.<br /><br />Four days later, he fled to the US consulate in Chengdu, near Chongqing, where many believe he sought asylum.<br /><br />He spent the night there but was persuaded to leave a day later. He gave himself up to police and has been in detention since then.<br /><br />According to Xinhua news agency, Wang Lijun is suspected of attempting to cover up Gu Kailai's involvement in the Heywood murder.<br /><br />He knew that Gu Kailai was a suspect, but "consciously neglected his duty and bent the law for personal gain", according to the indictment issued by the Chengdu City People's Procuratorate.<br /><br />He is also accused of leaving his post without authorisation with the intention of defecting at the US Consulate General in Chengdu.<br /><br />He is also suspected of forging documents and of accepting huge sums of money in abuse of his position as vice mayor and police chief of Chongqing.</p>.<p>The People's Procuratorate of Chengdu say the evidence against him was "concrete and abundant", Xinhua said.<br /><br />The Chengdu City Intermediate People's Court has accepted the case and will hold a trial at a later date, the report said.</p>