Police in Vietnam arrested former head of government service Mai Tien Dung on suspicion of abuse of power, the Ministry of Public Security announced yesterday against the background of the intensifying fight against corruption in the country, reported Reuters, quoted by BTA.
The arrest of 65-year-old Dung is part of an investigation into a bribery case in Lam Dong province in the Thai Nguyen region, the department said in a statement, adding that the arrest was made earlier on Tuesday.
Dung could not be reached for comment on the allegations against him, Reuters notes.
The decade-long anti-corruption campaign dubbed the “Flaming Furnace” has recently gained momentum, with hundreds of senior government officials and high-ranking corporate executives impeached or forced to resign.
On Thursday, the National Assembly voted to impeach Parliament Speaker Vuong Dinh Hue, after voting to impeach Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong just over a month ago.
Both Hue and Thong have been publicly accused of unspecified wrongdoing. Neither of them commented on what happened.
The announcement today did not give details of Dung's alleged crimes, but state media said his arrest was related to a construction project in Lam Dong province.
Dung was head of the government service from 2016 to 2021 under then-Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Reuters recalls.
Phuc became Vietnam's president in April 2021, but resigned less than two years later due to "violations and wrongdoing" by his subordinates.