Vietnam's first move to prosecute a former politburo member widens the country's crackdown against graft to appease a restless public and protect fast economic growth.
Police arrested former lawmaker and Communist Party official Dinh La Thang earlier this month over crimes he is suspected of committing as board chairman of the giant state-run oil firm PetroVietnam, Vietnamese news media say.
The man who was voted out of the ruling Communist Party’s politburo in May joins a list of other officials in state firms who authorities are targeting in an extensive 2017 anti-graft campaign. The campaign is aimed at easing public criticism of corruption and protecting economic growth of about 6 percent per year since 2017, experts say.
Thang, 57, is Vietnam’s most high-profile “political casualty” in a broader anti-corruption effort. He is charged with “deliberate violation of state regulations on economic management, causing serious consequences” over suspected violations and mismanagement at the oil firm.
越南第一次逮捕一位前政治局委员的行动显示打击腐败的力度加大，一方面是对日益不满的民众一个交代，同时也为了保护快速经济增长。
越南媒体说，警方12月初逮捕了前越南共产党中央政治局委员丁罗升，罪名是他在越南国家油气集团（PetroVietnam）担任党委书记期间涉嫌犯罪。
今年5月被落选政治局委员的丁罗升成为越南当局在2017年打击腐败的行动中又一个落马的国有公司高管。专家说，这是当局对公众有关腐败提出批评的回应，同时也是为了保护2017年以来的6%年增长率。
57岁的丁罗升是越南“政治牺牲品”中级别最高的官员。他被指控故意违反有关经济管理的国家规定，造成严重后果。他还涉嫌对油气集团管理不善。