The Public Security Ministry’s investigation police agency on April 30 started legal proceedings against and detained former Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung for "abusing position and power while performing official duties", spokesman of the ministry Lt. Gen. To An Xo said at the Government’s regular press conference in Hanoi on May 4.

The move was made when the police expanded investigation into the case of "bribing, accepting bribes, abusing position and powers while performing official duties" in the Central Highland province of Lam Dong and other localities, Xo said.

Mai Tien Dung, born in 1959 in Ha Nam Province, was a member of the 12th and 13th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

During his career, he has held the positions of Secretary of Ha Nam's Provincial Party Committee and Minister and Chairman of the Government Office.

Recently, he was disciplined by Politburo with a warning for violations related to the rescue flights repatriating Vietnamese citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic.

After obtaining the arrest warrant from the Supreme People's Procuracy, the Ministry of Public Security took Dung into custody in April 30.

Regarding the Phuc Son Group JSC case, the spokesman said that the agency has started legal actions against 23 defendants and that the probe into the case will continue to be expanded.

In the case, the agency on March 27 began legal proceedings against and detained Le Viet Chu, former Vice Chairman and former Chairman of the People's Committee and Secretary of the Party Committee of Quang Ngai province; and Pham Hoang Anh, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and former Director of the Construction Department of Vinh Phuc province, for “receiving bribes".

Chu allegedly received money from Nguyen Van Hau, Chairman of the Phuc Son Group JSC, to ensure that the group won a lucrative bid for the road construction on the southern bank of the Tra Khuc River project in the central province of Quang Ngai.

Similarly, Anh allegedly accepted money from Hau to facilitate his company in executing a market construction project in the northern province of Vinh Phuc.

Notable figures among the defendants include former Secretary of the Vinh Phuc provincial Party Committee Hoang Thi Thuy Lan, Chairman of the Vinh Phuc provincial People's Committee Le Duy Thanh; Chairman of the Quang Ngai provincial People's Committee Dang Van Minh; and former Chairman of the Quang Ngai provincial People's Committee Cao Khoa.

Regarding the case of Thuan An Group JSC, the agency started legal proceedings against eight defendants. Most recently, Secretary of the Bac Giang provincial Party Committee Duong Van Thai was prosecuted and temporarily detained for "abusing position and power while performing official duties" on May 1. Xo informed that from December 2014 to December 2023, the group participated in, either by itself or in joint venture with others, and won 32 bidding packages in 16 provinces and cities with a total value of more than 23 trillion VND (905 million USD). Especially, in the 2022 – 2023 period, it won bidding packages with a value of over 18 trillion VND.

On April 15, the investigation police agency began legal proceedings against and detained Nguyen Duy Hung - Chairman of the Board of Directors of Thuan An Group for "violating regulations on bidding, causing serious consequences" and "Bribing"; the company’s General Director Tran Anh Quang for "giving bribes"; and the company’s Deputy General Director Nguyen Khac Man for "violating regulations on bidding causing serious consequences" and "giving bribes".

Several other officials in Bac Giang province were also detained for allegedly being involved in the case.

Thuan An Group, formerly known as Thuan An Construction and Trading Development Joint Stock Company, was established in 2004, specialising in the fields of investment and construction of technical infrastructure projects, electricity and renewable energy trade, real estate trade, and investment.

VOV/VNS