Bo Xilai charged with bribery, power abuse

Beijing, July 25: Disgraced politician Bo Xilai has been charged with bribery, embezzlement and power abuse, said authorities Thursday.

The indictment paper was delivered to the Jinan City Intermediate People's Court Thursday, reported Xinhua citing Jinan City People's Procuratorate in east China's Shandong province.

Bo, as a civil servant, took the advantage of his position to seek profits for others and accepted an "extremely large amount" of money and properties, said the indictment paper.

He also embezzled a huge amount of public money and abused his power, seriously harming the interests of the state and people, the document added.

He had committed serious crimes and will be indicted on the charges of bribery, embezzlement and power abuse, it said.

Bo had been informed of his legal rights and interviewed by prosecutors. His defending counsels also delivered their opinions, prosecutors said.

China was last year rocked by a major scandal involving Bo Xilai, former party chief of Chongqing municipality.

Bo was accused of taking advantage of his position to seek profits for others and received huge bribes personally or through his family. His position was utilised by his wife to seek profits for others, and the Bo family accepted a huge amount of money and property from others. He was also found to have violated organisational and personnel disciplines and made erroneous decisions in certain promotion cases, resulting in serious consequences, Xinhua had earlier reported.

IANS