A senior police officer in Guangdong province is being investigated for serious violation of Party discipline, a phrase often used to refer to corruption.

Cai Guangliao, 57, deputy Party chief of the Guangdong provincial department of public security, was dismissed on Tuesday from another post he held - deputy director of the social and legislative committee of Guangdong's top political advisory body.

Cai Guangliao in file photo.

According to caixin.com, Cai was taken away by anti-graft officers from the Central Military Commission for Discipline Inspection on Oct 30. Cai is a major general in the armed police, which is overseen by the military commission.

The Guangdong provincial Department of Public Security refused to comment on the case on Wednesday.

Previously, Cai was deputy director of the general office of the Guangdong provincial Party committee and director of the Guard Bureau with the Guangdong Public Security Department from September 2003 to July 2012.

He was mainly in charge of security work in the southern province, which borders on the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions.

He was appointed deputy director of the social and legislative committee of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in February 2013, and is the third senior political adviser to come under investigation in Guangdong province.

Earlier this month, Pan Shengshen, former vice-chairman of the Guangzhou Committee of the conference, was also investigated for serious violation of Party discipline and State laws.

Zhu Mingguo, former chairman of the Guangdong Committee of the conference, was investigated beginning on Nov 28 for serious violation of Party discipline and allegations of accepting large bribes.

Zhu, a ministerial official, is the highest-ranking official to be investigated in Guangdong since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, held in late 2012, initiated a nationwide fight against corruption.

Peng Peng, a senior researcher with the Guangzhou Academy of Social Sciences, said Cai might have been involved in an army scandal of "purchasing and selling officer ranks".

"Meanwhile, as a guard for senior Party and government officials in Guangdong, Cai would have established relations and close contacts with senior Party and government officials, and thus, have the opportunity to take bribes, or be involved in other corruption cases," Peng said.

Peng called for further reform of the promotion system for soldiers and armed police officers and serious punishment for those who "have purchased and sold ranks for profit".

"In addition, supervision should be expanded to prevent security officers, who usually have close relations with senior officials, from becoming brokers who accept bribes from lawbreakers," he added.

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