Liu Tienan, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission, China's top economic planner, is under investigation for suspected "grave violations of discipline", China's top anti-graft authority has revealed on its website.

The investigation of Liu, who was also director of the powerful National Energy Administration until March, is a fresh sign of the new leadership's zero-tolerance toward corruption and its vow to hold violators accountable no matter who they are.

On Dec 6, Luo Changping, deputy editor-in-chief of Caijing, a popular investigative magazine, alleged in his real-name micro blog that Liu was involved in multiple offenses, including huge bank loan frauds and fabrication of his academic qualifications. Luo also accused Liu of having shady ties with a businessman whose company, which includes Liu's wife and son as shareholders, bought and merged many State-owned paper manufacturers.