Journalist, others held over case of Chinese spiritual guide

BEIJING (AP) – A Chinese journalist and policeman have been detained over accusations of bribery and the leaking of documents relating to the case of a disgraced spiritual guide linked to celebrities and a fallen state minister, state media reports say.

The case involving investigative reporter Liu Wei of the state-run Southern Metropolis Daily newspaper has drawn the concern of foreign journalists’ advocates about the ability of reporters to do probing work in China. The US-based Committee to Protect Journalists has protested the holding of Liu Wei, saying China is now “criminalizing basic reporting.”

The policeman, identified only by his surname, Zhong, is suspected of taking bribes in exchange for any help in dropping criminal charges against spiritual master Wang Lin, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. Zhong is suspected of accepting bribes from the ex-wife and a former mistress of Wang, who in turn are suspected of leaking secret documents that could help Wang’s case, Xinhua said.

Liu, who had been reporting extensively on Wang’s case, was suspected of involvement with Zhong’s illegal activities, Xinhua said.

Wang claims to have supernatural powers as a master of qigong, a traditional combination of meditation, martial arts and Chinese philosophy. He was arrested in August and charged with illegal detention in the kidnapping and grisly murder of a former acolyte.

Citing a detention notice issued to Liu’s family, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Liu has been accused of “illegally acquiring state secrets,” an extremely vague charge that can result in a lengthy prison sentence.

Wang was propelled to fame by reports of his purported mastery of qigong. Wang claimed to be able to conjure up snakes from thin air and to be able to “poke” people remotely with his powers of concentration.

He drew the wrong sort of attention from authorities after his former disciple Zou Yong was kidnapped and murdered on July 9. Zou had claimed he paid Wang 5 million yuan ($786,000) to become his disciple and that the two were involved in a web of lawsuits and disputes.

Wang had previously been investigated for gun possession, practicing medicine without a license, bribery and fraud, but those investigations were stymied by a lack of evidence, Xinhua said.

Wang once had the trust of former Chinese railways minister Liu Zhijun, who fell in a corruption scandal in 2013 even after Wang gifted him with a rock supposedly imbued with protective powers. Jack Ma, founder of Internet shopping giant Alibaba, and martial arts actor Jet Li also were fans of Wang.