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17 July 2015
- From the section China
A renowned guru in China has been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the kidnapping and murder of one of his disciples, Chinese state media report.
Wang Lin, a “qigong” (ancient healing) master, was arrested in the southern Jiangxi province on Thursday over the death of a businessman, reports said.
Three other suspects have been detained in the same case, state media added.
Mr Wang is known for his high-profile clients, including celebrities and disgraced railways minister Liu Zhijun.
Photos on social media have shown him posing with actors Jet Li and Jackie Chan, tycoon Jack Ma, and former Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang.
Police were investigating the kidnapping and killing of a businessman on 9 July, state-run news agency Xinhua reported.
The report only identified the man by his surname, Zou, but he has been widely named in Chinese media as Zou Yong, a businessman and provincial legislator in Jiangxi.
Mr Zou was a disciple of Mr Wang’s, but the two men fell out in 2012 following financial disputes, Chinese media said.
Mr Wang has previously faced accusations from the media that his self-proclaimed “qigong” powers, which include conjuring snakes from an empty bowl and bringing beheaded snakes back to life, are a fraud.
In 2013, he reportedly claimed to have put a curse on a journalist from The Beijing News, who alleged that his magic powers were a “deceitful trick”.
“It doesn’t matter if my qigong is real or not, as long as it does not violate laws,” Mr Wang said in 2013.
