VietNamNet Bridge – Dan Viet newspaper recently reported that former Party Secretary of Ninh Binh province paid $1.24 million to buy a pair of old vases and a 2000-year-old bronze drum.

Tuoi Tre Newspaper on November 18 contacted Ninh Binh’s former Party Secretary Dinh Van Hung, who said that police are investigating the case. He said he was disciplined and didn’t want to say anything.

Hung added that the local media should follow public information from relevant agencies.

According to Tuoi Tre, a Ninh Binh’s official also confirmed the information.

Earlier, on November 17 Dan Viet newspaper reported that on May 29, 2010 Hanoi police investigated the case called “stealing and using stolen assets”, which is related to Hung’s purchase of the two antique vases and an ancient bronze drum.

It is said that the antique vases were stolen from a parish and the ancient drum was made in China.

According to Vietnamese law, ancient bronze drums are considered national assetsbanned from trading.

The case beganin May but until now nobody has been prosecuted. Investigators have extended the investigation time.

A senior investigator said that this is a complicated case, which is related to a high-ranking official so the investigation must be very careful. No one has been prosecuted because the man who stole the ancient vases had died in an accident.

However, the biggest question is why the former Ninh Binh Party Secretary could afford to buy the antiquesworth up to $1.24 million?

According to Tuoi Tre Newspaper, Hung received a warning from the Party and was dismissed from the Party Central Committee for violating the regulations on democratic concentration, the regulations on personnel, the working rules of Ninh Binh Party Committee and some regulations of the Party.

PV