A gangster in China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region is handcuffed by police in December 2017 in a campaign against gangs. Photo: VCG

Authorities of Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality announced on Tuesday that they had launched an investigation into a case where a suspect identified a local procurator as his "protective umbrella" in court.

Yin Guangde, 44, appeared before the people's court of Dazu district in Chongqing, for allegedly being involved in a gang crime on Monday, and named one of the procurators as his protective umbrella, the Chongqing political and legal affairs committee said on WeChat. 

Yin was arrested in January. He was accused of operating illegal casinos, extortion and illegally crossing the national border with 25 other suspects, media reported. 

The trial was scheduled to last five days since Monday. But according to thepaper.cn, a hearing was not held on Tuesday. 

Yin made a drastic turn on Monday by suddenly identifying one of the procurators, named Tang Hao, as his "protective umbrella." 

"He [Tang] helped me coordinate things and accepted 10,000 yuan ($1,423) from me," Yin said, adding that he always went to a karaoke with Tang, thepaper.cn reported.

Tang admitted his close relationship with Yin and said Yin could report him to the commission for discipline inspection. 

The judge decided to retain Tang as a procurator for the case and continued to question Yin after adjourning the hearing for 20 minutes. The judge required Yin to provide specific information and submit to the local procuratorate if he wants Tang to avoid trial. 

Su Wei, a professor at the Party School of the Communist Party of China Chongqing Municipal Committee, told the Global Times that he thought the judge's decision was "very improper" and has violated legal procedure, given Yin's accusation of Tang. 

Mao Lixin, a Beijing-based lawyer, echoed Su, saying that the judge should at least suspend the trial before the procuratorate decides whether Tang was related to Yin's case. 

The results of an investigation will be released to the public at the proper time, according to the Chongqing political and legal affairs committee. 

China has taken a tough stance against gangs. In January last year it began a three-year campaign against gangs and officials who shelter criminal organizations, the Xinhua News Agency reported in April.