BEIJING -- Dou Wangui, a former political advisor of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and dismissed from public office for serious violations of Party discipline and laws, the country's top anti-graft body said Monday.

The decision came following an investigation by the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Commission of Supervision upon the approval of the CPC Central Committee, according to a statement released by the anti-graft agency.

Dou was a member of the leading Party members group of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regional Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and vice chairman of the committee.

He is found to have violated an eight-point code aimed at improving Party and government conduct, accepting arrangements for banquets that could have compromised his impartiality in performing his duties, according to the official statement.

He is also found to have leveraged his positions to seek gains for his relatives and friends in business operation and assist others in gaining advantages in mine exploitation, project contracts and the selection and promotion of officials. In return, he accepted a large amount of money and gifts.

These actions have gravely breached Party discipline and constitute serious duty-related crimes, the anti-graft body said, adding that Dou is also suspected of criminal offenses of accepting bribes.

In line with Party regulations and laws, a decision has been made to expel him from the Party, remove him from public office, terminate his qualification as a delegate to the 10th CPC Xinjiang regional congress, and confiscate his illicit gains.

The case will be referred to the procuratorate for criminal investigation and prosecution, according to the anti-graft body.