Former Henan official charged

Gan Rongkun, a former senior official of Henan province, pleaded guilty in court on Thursday to taking bribes exceeding 166 million yuan ($23.8 million).

The Changzhou Intermediate People's Court, Jiangsu province, publicly heard Gan's case.

Gan, who used to be a member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China Henan Provincial Committee, and secretary of the political and legal affairs commission of the CPC Henan Provincial Committee, made a final statement at the court. The sentence will be issued later.

Prosecutors said that from 1999 to 2021, Gan made use of his different positions, including as head of the Beijing Customs District, vice-governor of Hubei province, secretaries of the political and legal affairs commissions of the CPC Heilongjiang and Henan provincial committees, to help others in obtaining projects, running businesses and handling cases. In return, he received over 166 million yuan.

Gan, 60, a native of Jiangxi province, began working in 1983 and joined the Party in 1996.

He served as the head of the Beijing Customs District from 2007 to 2013, and worked as vice-governor of Hubei province from 2013 to 2016.

He became the secretary of the political and legal affairs commission of the CPC Henan Provincial Committee in September 2019.

Gan was put under investigation by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission in June 2021.

He was expelled from the Party and removed from his post half a year later.

The Supreme People's Procuratorate approved his arrest in late December last year.

Changzhou's procuratorate was designated to examine the case and initiated a lawsuit against him in February.