BEIJING, Dec. 31 -- Former vice minister of environmental protection Zhang Lijun has been expelled from the Communist Party of China and removed from public office following a graft investigation, the top anti-graft body announced on Thursday.

Zhang is accused of accepting bribes, seeking profits for others, abuse of power and misusing public funds, a statement from the CPC's Central Commission for Disciplinary Inspection (CCDI) said.

Some of these violations are criminal acts, it added.

The former senior leading cadre of the CPC "has lost his ideal, seriously violated the Party code of conduct and continued with his corrupt behavior even after the 18th CPC National Congress," the statement read.

Zhang's ill-gotten gains will be confiscated, and his case transferred to judicial organs.

A separate statement from the Supreme People's Procuratorate said they have began to investigate into Zhang on bribe-taking charges and have taken coercive measures against him.

According to China's Criminal Procedure Law, coercive measures include summons by force, bail, residential surveillance, detention and arrest.