Nguyen Hoang Linh, a former official at the embassy, is also under investigation on the same charge and has been banned from leaving his residence, the head of the office and spokesman of the public security ministry, To An Xo, said yesterday.

These are the latest moves in a probe into the case of “giving and taking bribes, as well as abusing position and power, while performing duties, and swindling, appropriating assets” at the foreign ministry and some other localities, according to VNA.

It said many incumbent and former officials had been arrested earlier to help out with the investigation.

They included Nguyen Quang Linh, who is the assistant to the permanent deputy prime minister, deputy foreign minister To Anh Dung, and Nguyen Thi Huong Lan, who is the director of the foreign ministry’s consular department.