Beijing, Apr 12 (IANS): A Chinese court on Thursday began a trial against former Agriculture Minister Sun Zhengcai over graft charges.

Zhengcai, 54, was charged with accepting bribes and abuse of power by the State Attorney's Office on February 13, Efe news reported.

He was an influential Politburo member of the Communist Party of China until 2017.

The anti-corruption wing of the Communist Party of China had initiated investigations against Zhengcai in July 2017, and in September he was expelled from the party and removed from office.

Zhengcai, who has been accused of using his political positions to receive large amounts of money and property, was the first serving member of the Politburo to be probed over corruption charges since Bo Xilai, also a former Chongqing party chief.

In 2017, Sun was abruptly replaced by Chen Miner, former propaganda chief of President Xi Jinping and one of his most trusted aides.

Sun's trial is part of Xi's anti-corruption campaign that he launched after taking office in 2013.