<p>China today launched a criminal investigation into disgraced Communist Party leader Bo Xilai's alleged offences, a day after he was stripped of his legal immunity and expelled from the country's Parliament.<br /><br />"The Supreme People's Procuratorate has decided to put Bo Xilai under investigation for alleged criminal offences as well as impose coercive measures on him in accordance with the law," state-run Xinhua news agency quoted an official statement as saying.<br /><br />"The investigation is under way," the statement said.<br /><br />The probe which comes ahead of the November 8 Communist Party Congress to decide the once in a decade leadership change were expected to be completed well before that.<br /><br />He faces a number of charges including, corruption, moral turpitude and attempts to protect his wife Gu Kailai from investigations into the murder of British Businessman Neil Heywood in November last year.<br /><br />Gu was given suspended death sentence by trial court after she confessed her role.<br /><br />Several officials including the police chief of the Chongqing city were given varied sentences for their complicity in the murder.<br /><br />Bo, 63, believed to be a votary of Mao Zedong's hard-line policies, was formerly secretary of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee and also a Politburo member.</p>.<p>Bo was expelled from the Communist Party and the government last month, after being stripped of leadership positions in April.<br /><br />He once was considered a top contender for the all- powerful Politburo Standing Committee, the team of nine politicians who effectively rule China, but the news report on his expulsion last month, painted a portrait of corruption, abuse of power and improper sexual relationships. </p>
<p>China today launched a criminal investigation into disgraced Communist Party leader Bo Xilai's alleged offences, a day after he was stripped of his legal immunity and expelled from the country's Parliament.<br /><br />"The Supreme People's Procuratorate has decided to put Bo Xilai under investigation for alleged criminal offences as well as impose coercive measures on him in accordance with the law," state-run Xinhua news agency quoted an official statement as saying.<br /><br />"The investigation is under way," the statement said.<br /><br />The probe which comes ahead of the November 8 Communist Party Congress to decide the once in a decade leadership change were expected to be completed well before that.<br /><br />He faces a number of charges including, corruption, moral turpitude and attempts to protect his wife Gu Kailai from investigations into the murder of British Businessman Neil Heywood in November last year.<br /><br />Gu was given suspended death sentence by trial court after she confessed her role.<br /><br />Several officials including the police chief of the Chongqing city were given varied sentences for their complicity in the murder.<br /><br />Bo, 63, believed to be a votary of Mao Zedong's hard-line policies, was formerly secretary of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee and also a Politburo member.</p>.<p>Bo was expelled from the Communist Party and the government last month, after being stripped of leadership positions in April.<br /><br />He once was considered a top contender for the all- powerful Politburo Standing Committee, the team of nine politicians who effectively rule China, but the news report on his expulsion last month, painted a portrait of corruption, abuse of power and improper sexual relationships. </p>