Police detain former museum director

Former National Palace Museum director Shih Shou-chien (石守謙) and several other former museum officials and staffers were taken into custody and questioned late on Wednesday, a day after law enforcement officers raided the museum on suspicion of corruption related to the renovation of its main exhibition hall.

Shih was released yesterday after nearly six hours of questioning over alleged profiteering.

Yeh Chang-chi (葉張繼), a former director of the museum's general affairs department, and Chou Ching-lin　(周慶麟), an acting section chief at the museum, were also released after questioning.

Wang Wen-lu (王文陸), a former general affairs department head, was released on NT$300,000 bail after questioning; two other suspects -- Wang Shih-sheng (王士聖), a former section chief, and Sun Chao-feng (孫兆鳳), a clerk -- were released on NT$100,000 bail each.

Two other former museum officials -- Hsueh Fei-yuan (薛飛源), a former chief secretary, and Hsiao Chih-ming (蕭志明), a former clerk -- remained in custody, as prosecutors applied for their further detention to facilitate investigations into the corruption and profiteering charges.

The questioning of the former museum staff came one day after prosecutors led more than 60 investigators in searching the suspects' offices and residences for evidence of irregularities.

At issue was a NT$385 million (US$11.53 million) museum renovation project that got underway in July 2004 and was completed late last year.

The Ministry of Justice's Bureau of Investigation has said that judicial authorities have not ruled out summoning Minister of Education Tu Cheng-sheng (杜正勝) for questioning because the renovation project was conceived and drafted during Tu's stint as director of the museum.

Opposition lawmakers have asked Tu to explain his role in the case, but Tu has declined to comment. Instead, his aide said Tu would respect the judicial authorities' investigations and, if subpoenaed, would answer the summons.

Tu's aide said the case had been under investigation for some time.

Given Tu's position, the aide said he believed it would have been revealed long ago if Tu had been involved in any wrongdoing.

In Tuesday's raids, the offices and residences of architect Luo Hsing-hua (羅興華) and other contractors were also searched. A large collection of files and documents, including the texts of a contract between the museum and Luo's company, and blueprints for the museum's face-lift projects, were seized.

Authorities said the raid was only launched after nearly two years of extensive investigation. The probe got underway after law enforcement authorities received a written petition.

Investigators said they had scrutinized many documents concerning the open tender for the renovation project, contract negotiations, meeting minutes and selection of qualified contractors.

Following a comprehensive scrutiny, law enforcement officials said they found suspected irregularities, including possible bribery and favoritism.

After securing search warrants, prosecutors from Taipei's Shihlin District Prosecutor's Office led investigation agents in raiding more than 10 locations on Tuesday.

The prosecutors said the museum renovation project had been tainted by repeated cost overruns.