Bo Xilai fired from top party posts Bo Xilai, once one of the country's most powerful leaders, has been fired from the politburo and central committee China's Communist party has formally removed one of its most powerful leaders, Bo Xilai, from his positions at the top of the ruling hierarchy and his wife has been arrested on suspicion of murdering British businessman Neil Heywood. In a one-line statement, Chinese state media announced on Tuesday night that Mr Bo had been suspended from his position on the 25-member politburo, the second-highest decision-making body in China, because of "suspected serious violations of discipline." In what amounted to a formal government announcement, state media also said Mr Bo's wife, Gu Kailai, and an orderly who worked at the Bo residence had been "transferred to judicial authorities" on suspicion of having murdered Mr Heywood, who was found dead in a hotel room in Chongqing city on November 15 last year. The report said Chinese police had found evidence Mr Heywood was murdered and that Ms Gu and the family servant, Zhang Xiaojun, were "highly suspected." At the time of Mr Heywood's death, police in Chongqing informed British consular officials that he had died from "excessive alcohol consumption." His body was quickly cremated. Mr Heywood was a close associate of the Bo family and Mr Bo was Communist party chief of Chongqing until last month, when he was removed from that position. A police investigation has found that Ms Gu and Mr Heywood had fallen out over a "conflict over economic interests" which had intensified, state media reported. Mr Bo has also been suspended from the central committee of the Communist party, the powerful ruling group of approximately 200 officials from which the politburo is selected, according to the announcement. It said the party would carry out an investigation into Mr Bo's suspected violations of discipline. Three sources familiar with the matter said Mr Bo was being held at the Communist seaside resort of Beidaihe, in eastern China.