Chinese state media say disgraced Communist Party politician Bo Xilai has been indicted for bribery, corruption, and abuse of power.
The official Xinhua news agency said Bo was indicted Thursday in Jinan, the capital of the eastern coastal Shandong province.
Several media reports have suggested that Bo's long-awaited trial, China's most scandalous in decades, would soon take place. The Xinhua report did not say when the trial would begin.
Bo's wife, Gu Kailai, was convicted of murdering British businessman Neil Heywood over a financial dispute last year.
The charismatic Bo was the former Communist party chief of the southwest city of Chongqing. Before the scandal, he was expected to be named to China's all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee at last year's leadership transition.
Bo's downfall began last February, when his ex-police chief Wang Lijun fled to the United States consulate in Chengdu, where he told U.S. officials about Bo's alleged role in covering up the murder of Heywood.
Lijun was later convicted on charges related to trying to cover up the murder and sentenced to 15 years in prison. Bo's wife was given a suspended death penalty. Analysts say the 64-year-old Bo could face life in prison for his role in the incident.
Bo, meanwhile, has not been seen or heard from in over a year. He was kicked out of the Communist Party in September, when state media accused him of corruption, abuse of power, bribe taking, and "improper" relations with a number of women.
The official Xinhua news agency said Bo was indicted Thursday in Jinan, the capital of the eastern coastal Shandong province.
Several media reports have suggested that Bo's long-awaited trial, China's most scandalous in decades, would soon take place. The Xinhua report did not say when the trial would begin.
Bo's wife, Gu Kailai, was convicted of murdering British businessman Neil Heywood over a financial dispute last year.
The charismatic Bo was the former Communist party chief of the southwest city of Chongqing. Before the scandal, he was expected to be named to China's all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee at last year's leadership transition.
Bo's downfall began last February, when his ex-police chief Wang Lijun fled to the United States consulate in Chengdu, where he told U.S. officials about Bo's alleged role in covering up the murder of Heywood.
Lijun was later convicted on charges related to trying to cover up the murder and sentenced to 15 years in prison. Bo's wife was given a suspended death penalty. Analysts say the 64-year-old Bo could face life in prison for his role in the incident.
Bo, meanwhile, has not been seen or heard from in over a year. He was kicked out of the Communist Party in September, when state media accused him of corruption, abuse of power, bribe taking, and "improper" relations with a number of women.