Bo expelled from China's ruling CPC ahead of Nov 8 Congress

Ahead of a generational leadership change in China's ruling CPC at its key Congress on November 8, the party on Friday expelled disgraced leader Bo Xilai and ordered his trial for shielding his wife's involvement in the murder of a British businessman.

While announcing that the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) will be held on November 8, the politburo of the CPC Central Committee headed by President Hu Jintao expelled Bo from the party's primary membership.

63-year-old Bo was also removed from the public offices held by him for his involvement in CPC's worst-ever scandal in decades, which came to light after a top police official sought refuge in the US Consulate in Chengdu in February.

"The meeting decided to transfer Bo's suspected law violations and relevant clues to judicial organs," state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

This meant that the party has concluded its disciplinary proceedings against him on charges of protecting his wife, Gu Kailai, from the investigations into her role in the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood, who was found dead in November last year at Chongqing, the city then headed by Bo.

The party's decision to hand him over for trial puts to rest speculation that he would be spared as he headed a powerful faction attempting to resurrect hard-line Maoist ideology playing up on the growing rich-poor divide.

Bo's wife Gu was subsequently handed down a suspended death sentence while the former police chief of the city Wang Lijijun, who had escaped to the US Consulate fearing reprisals from Bo, was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Several officials have been given varied sentences for trying to protect 53-year-old Gu.