BEIJING - Ling Zhengce, former senior official of Shanxi province, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and public office, after an investigation suspecting him of corruption.

The probe found that Ling, former vice chairman of the Shanxi provincial committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, exploited his position to help his family members in business and sought profits for others in promotion of officials and business operations, and took bribes, the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said Friday in an online statement.

Ling also tried to obstruct the CCDI investigation, the agency said, without giving any details on how he had done so.

Being a senior official, Ling should have followed Party rules and acting with integrity but instead he flouted the rules and undermined the selection process of officials, according to the statement.

It said he continued his wrongdoing even after the CPC National Congress in late 2012, when the new leadership launched its anti-corruption campaign.

The Supreme People's Procuratorate announced later that it has started a criminal investigation into Ling and placed him under "compulsory measures," which may refer to summons by force, bail, residential surveillance, detention or arrest.