Former deputy minister of transport Nguyễn Hồng Trường. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The investigative police department under the Ministry of Public Security on Friday launched legal proceedings against and arrested Nguyễn Hồng Trường, former Deputy Minister of Transport, for an investigation into violations of regulations on the use of State property, causing loss and waste.

The investigation agency also levied charges against three other defendants, including former Minister of Transport Đinh La Thăng, Nguyễn Chí Thành, former Acting Director of the Finance Department, Ministry of Transport and Lê Trung Cường, former specialist of the Finance Department, Ministry of Transport.

They are accused of “deliberately violating State regulations on economic management, causing severe consequences”.

Former minister Thăng is currently serving 30 years in prison for serious economic mismanagement charges during his time at the helm of the State-owned oil and gas group PetroVietnam.

Authorities are investigating violations related to bidding and toll collection on the HCM City-Trung Lương Expressway, which opened to traffic in 2010 and is the only expressway connecting HCM City and the Mekong Delta.

Former Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyễn Hồng Trường has been prosecuted and arrested for investigation of the acts of violating regulations on the use of State property, causing loss and waste according to Article 219, Penal Code 2015.

Previously, in September last year, Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc stripped Trường of his title as former Deputy Minister of Transport between 2011-2015 and 2016-2017, as a disciplinary measure for violations of regulations on the equitisation of State-owned enterprises under the management of the ministry.

The PM's decision followed the June 2019 action of the Party Secretariat, removing Trường from the Party unit of the transport ministry for the 2011-2016 and 2016-2021 tenures.

According to the Secretariat, Trường must be held responsible for the violations and shortcomings of the Party unit during his terms of office as deputy transport minister and head of the Steering Committee for Enterprise Reform and Development, under the ministry.

Trường also has to be responsible for illegally signing decisions approving enterprise costs, equitisation plans and state divestment in many enterprises and units under the Ministry of Transport. — VNS