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Suspended official claims 'setup'

Updated: 2014-12-18 08:12
By Sun Li in Fuzhou (China Daily)

An official in Fuzhou, capital of Fujian province, has been suspended after a series of salacious photos taken in a nightclub, went viral on the Internet.

Twenty-six photos were uploaded in a BBS post titled "Enviable nightlife of Mr Lin, deputy director of the housing administration bureau of Jin'an district, Fuzhou," on Tuesday morning. The photos, showing the man grabbing breasts and buttocks and locking lips with different women, have been widely circulated on the blogosphere.

The man was later confirmed to be Lin Zonghui by the bureau.

The Jin'an district government later announced the online photos of Lin were real and Lin had been suspended and the case placed under investigation.

In an interview with xinhuanet.com, Lin said the whole thing was a "setup" and the person behind the "plot" is Guo Mengying, Party chief of the bureau, who attempted to replace Lin with a friend.

Lin recalled he was invited to dinner in last June by two men who got him drunk and took him to a nightclub. The two men arranged for a number of female escorts and he was too drunk to remember what happened next. Lin added he woke up alone the next day and paid 10,000 yuan ($1,610) for all the expenses.

"I have since been blackmailed with the photos shot in the nightclub," Lin said, adding that he considered calling the police but was too busy.

Guo said he has no clue about the "setup" and does not know anyone who appeared in the photos. Guo said he received a tipoff letter in November that included material similar to the online post.

Suspended official claims 'setup'

"I gave the letter to the bureau's disciplinary inspection committee. Lin's accusation is ridiculous, and I expect a thorough investigation to bring justice," Guo said.

Lin's accusation was also contradicted by another post on Tuesday afternoon, which also alleged he had abused his authority.

The whistleblower, who claimed to be a construction manager surnamed Zhuang, said in the post that Lin suggested in July he could help Zhuang win the bid for a construction project since he was in charge of the bidding.

Zhuang said Lin often asked him to go to restaurants and nightclubs together. Zhuang claims to have spent more tha 100,000 yuan entertaining Lin.

The post also accused Lin of being involved in prostitution as Zhuang was once asked by a female nightclub employee to pay her 3,000 yuan for sleeping with Lin.

Neither Lin nor the whistleblower could not be reached for comment.

The Jin'an district discipline inspection committee said an investigation is underway.

sunli@chinadaily.com.cn

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