HÀ NỘI — Former ministers of information and communications Nguyễn Bắc Son and Trương Minh Tuấn were taken into custody on Saturday accused of violating provisions on public investment capital management which caused serious consequences.

The move was directed by the Ministry of Public Security and approved by the Supreme People’s Procuracy the same day.

The investigation started on July 10 last year.

Son has been disciplined by having his status as former Minister of Information and Communications for the 2011-16 tenure erased. On October 6 last year, the Party Central Committee of the 12th tenure disciplined Son by stripping him of his status as a member of the Party Central Committee of the 11th tenure and the Secretary of the Party Committee of the ministry for the 2011-16 tenure. Son was also held by the Politburo to bear the main responsibility for wrongdoings within the ministry’s Party Committee at that time.

Son and other individuals caused great losses to the State, negatively affecting the operation and equitisation of MobiFone telecommunications group as well as the reputation of Party organisations and the ministry, causing social discontent.

Tuấn has been removed from his post as Minister of Information and Communications. On July 12 last year, the Politburo decided to discipline him by giving him a warning and relieving him from the position of the Secretary of the Party Committee of the ministry for the 2016-21 tenure for wrongdoings in leading, guiding and implementing the MobiFone project to buy 95 per cent of AVG Company.

On July 18 last year, the Prime Minister signed a decision to discipline then Minister Tuấn by giving him a warning. On July 23, the President signed a decision to suspend him as minister and on July 27 the same year, the Politburo issued a decision to appoint him to the post of deputy head of the Popularisation and Education Commission of the Party Central Committee. — VNS