Song Lin (file Photo)

Song Lin, Chairman of state-owned China Resources Holdings Co Ltd, a holding company for a group of energy, land and consumer businesses in China's mainland and Hong Kong, is under investigation, China's top anti-corruption body confirmed yesterday.

Song Lin is suspected of a serious violation of discipline, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said on its website. Violating discipline is official jargon for corrupt activities.

The statement from the anti-corruption agency comes after a journalist accused Song of illegal financial dealings. Song has denied the accusation.

The journalist, Wang Wenzhi, is a reporter for the Economic Information Daily newspaper, run by Xinhua news agency. In a microblog entry on Wednesday, Wang said he had notified the anti-graft body about Song's alleged wrongdoing.

Wang also said that Song's violation included keeping a mistress, Yang Lijuan, alleged to be an accomplice in taking bribes and money laundering.

Wang said Yang has assets of more than 1 billion yuan (US$160 million) in China, including houses in Shanghai and Hong Kong, in addition to unspecified amounts of money in banks at home and overseas.

Song dismissed Wang's claims in a statement on his company's website.

"The report is pure fabrication and malicious slander. These acts have caused great harm to the reputation of my family and the company," he said.

He added that he would be pursuing legal action.

Meanwhile, a top energy official has been detained by police for questioning, according to Caixin magazine.

Hao Weiping, director of the nuclear power department of the National Energy Administration, was detained along with his wife at Beijing airport on Tuesday as they were preparing to leave the country.