China's ruling Communist party leadership has initiated a probe against a close aide of Zhou Yongkang, a former top leader and national security czar for disciplinary violations including corruption.
Ji Wenlin, vice governor of the southern island of Hainan is being investigated for "suspected severe violations of disciplines and laws", an announcement by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), internal graft watchdog of the Communist Party of China, (CPC) said.
Observers here say the investigations against Ji, 47, who was a secretary and close aide to Zhou when he was land resources minister and then party chief of Sichuan province in the southwest in 1998-2002 could be a prelude to the arrest of Zhou himself.
He was reportedly under detention for the past several months.
Zhou, the ninth member of the powerful CPC Standing Committee headed by former President Hu Jintao was the National Security Chief till early last year, until the new leadership headed by President Xi Jinping took over the reins from Hu.
Zhou's name was mentioned as a powerful backer of the disgraced left wing CPC leader Bo Xilai who last year was sentenced to life for various acts of indiscipline and corruption including browbeating the Police Chief of Chongqing city, Wang Lijun which reportedly prompted him to escape to US Consulate in Chengdu to save his life.
Bo was reportedly in touch with Zhou while attempting to bring Wang out.
Zhou was also accused of tapping Hu Jintao's phones.
Bo was projected to be a contender for top post in the new dispensation but lost out after the Wang's incident and the alleged role of his wife in the murder of a British businessman.
Reports said after Bo's sentence last year, Zhou had been detained for investigation though it was not announced to the public.
His detention and investigation were unprecedented in CPC history as no leader was investigated after the retirement.
CPC leadership changes every ten years.
Subsequently state-run Xinhua news agency reported today Zhu Zuoli, a senior political adviser of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, is under investigation for suspected serious discipline and law violation.
Zhu is vice chairman of the Shaanxi Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
