On December 29, information from Thanh Hoa Police said that, related to the case that occurred at the Hac Thanh Tower construction investment project (address: 3 Phan Chu Trinh, Dien Bien Ward, Thanh Hoa City), the Investigation Police Agency of the Provincial Police Department issued a decision to prosecute, search the residence and apply preventive measures to prohibit leaving the place of residence for Mr. Trinh Van Chien, born in 1960, residing in Dong Huong Ward, Thanh Hoa City (before being removed from all positions in the Party, he was the former Secretary of the Thanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee).

Mr. Chien was prosecuted for investigation of the crime of "Violating regulations on management and use of state assets causing waste and loss" under Clause 3, Article 219 of the Penal Code.

According to the initial investigation results, in 2009, Mr. Chu Pham Ngoc Hien - then Vice Chairman of Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee signed a decision approving the land allocation price and land use fee collection at No. 3 Phan Chu Trinh for Song Ma One Member Co., Ltd. (Song Ma Company, located in Ngoc Trao Ward, Thanh Hoa City) to implement the construction of a 15-storey mixed-use building under the Hac Thanh Tower project.

In early 2012, the handover of land for project implementation had not yet been carried out. Thanh Hoa provincial leaders directed relevant departments and branches to urgently carry out procedures to hand over land to the investor, Song Ma Company.

On August 16, 2012, although there was no decision on land allocation, Mr. Trinh Van Chien - at that time Chairman of Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee - issued an official dispatch agreeing to allow Song Ma Company to transfer land use rights for the land to build a 15-storey mixed-use building under the Hac Thanh Tower project to Huy Hoang Company Limited (Level 2 Investor).

After receiving instructions from Mr. Chien, on December 23, 2013, Mr. Nguyen Dinh Xung (at that time, Vice Chairman of the province) signed to approve the land use fee that Song Ma Company had to pay to the state. The police agency determined that the approval of the above decision caused a loss to the state budget of more than 55.8 billion VND.

Regarding the above case, the police agency previously prosecuted 8 defendants, including: Nguyen Ba Hung, former Secretary of the Nhu Xuan District Party Committee, former Deputy Director of the Department of Finance; Van Xuan Hung, former Head of the Public Asset Management - Price Department, Thanh Hoa Department of Finance; Dinh Cam Van, former Director of Thanh Hoa Department of Finance.

Dinh Xuan Huong (born in 1970), Secretary of the Nhu Thanh District Party Committee, former General Director of Song Ma One Member Co., Ltd.; Nguyen Manh Son (born in 1958), former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Song Ma One Member Co., Ltd.;

Nguyen Dinh Xung, former Chairman of Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee; Cu Dinh Hien, former Deputy Chief of Office of Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee; Bui Van Nam, former Deputy Head of Economic and Financial Department of Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee Office.

The defendants were temporarily detained for the crime of "Violating regulations on management and use of State assets causing waste and loss".

The police agency executed a search warrant on the house of former Provincial Party Secretary Trinh Van Chien at 12 Nguyen Duy Hieu, Dong Huong ward, Thanh Hoa city, Thanh Hoa province.