A county bureau official in Xuwen county, Guangdong province, is being investigated by the county's procuratorate after he and his brother allegedly beat a retired official, Southern Metropolis Daily reported on Friday.

Cai Guangneng, director of the county's township enterprise bureau, and his brother Cai Guangzuo, are alleged to have beaten Ke You, 69, a retired official of the bureau, on May 15. Ke claimed he was beaten because he reported the brothers' corruption. Ke was injured and hospitalized for 23 days.

Cai Guangneng was detained for seven days. The brother, who fled, is wanted by the police. The case was recently sent to the procuratorate for further investigation.