BEIJING - A former senior legislator in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and dismissed from public office following an internal graft investigation.

According to a statement issued on Friday by the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), Le Dake was found to have accepted bribes and taken advantage of his post to seek benefits for others.

Le is a former deputy head of the Standing Committee of the regional People's Congress.

The statement said that Le violated the Party's code of conduct, interfered with the investigation, and traded power and money for sex.

Le is now the subject of a judiciary-led criminal investigation. The internal investigation began in June.