How Ling Jihua, once one of China's most powerful men, fell from grace

At the peak of his power he reputedly wielded more clout than a vice-premier. He sat at the centre of the inner circle, controlling access to a president and making and breaking political careers.

Today Ling Jihua, the former top aide to retired president Hu Jintao, sits behind bars, awaiting criminal prosecution for a litany of accusations, from obtaining state secrets to taking bribes and sexual misconduct.

It is a spectacular fall from grace that ultimately came as no surprise to observers and probably not to Ling himself.

Speculation that the 58-year-old would come under scrutiny by anti-corruption investigators had been rife for more than two years, and pundits were closely watching if Ling could survive the intense heat.

Last December, anti-corruption investigators had to act swiftly to detain him after receiving tip-offs that his wife was planning to flee the country, a source told the South China Morning Post.