Top Chinese policeman's 'leave' raises many eyebrows

London -  A top Chinese policeman, who shot to national fame for leading a popular crackdown on organised crime, has gone on leave under mysterious circumstances amid rumours that he is being investigated for corruption.

Wang Lijun is receiving what his employers describe as "holiday-style medical treatment". He shot to national fame several years ago after spearheading a popular crackdown on crime in Chongqing city, the BBC reported.

It could be a major embarrassment if he was found to have broken the law.

It all began late last week when Chongqing city government announced that "comrade" Wang would no longer be heading the police department.

He kept his post as deputy mayor with new responsibilities, leaving some to speculate that he had not been demoted.

But in his new role, said the local authority, Wang would be in charge of areas that included landscape gardening and historical records, which naturally led to rumours that he had fallen from grace.

On Wednesday, the city government's news department stated on its microblog site that Wang had gone on leave.

"It is understood that Vice-Mayor Wang Lijun, who has suffered overwork and immense mental stress for a long time, is seriously physically indisposed. After agreement, he is currently taking holiday-style medical treatment," said the site's message.

Wang, as per some rumours, had sought asylum at the US consulate in Chengdu, a city near Chongqing in southwest China. The US embassy in Beijing declined to comment on that issue.