Not only did Lt Gen Gu Junshan owned dozens of homes and crates of luxury liquor, he also possessed a golden statue of Mao Zedong, a golden washbasin, a golden statue of a ship. The Chinese people aren't pleased.

News portal caixin.com reported police were aghast when they raided the home of the former deputy head of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) general logistics department. It said Mr Gu has dozens of properties in Beijing, including apartments, while his brother had built seven villas for the family in their hometown in Puyang, Henan Province.

"Gu's compound in downtown Puyang was built to imitate the Forbidden City and dubbed the General's Residence," the state-run Global Times reported. It covered one hectare (2.5 acres) of land.

Boxes of Moutai, an expensive type of Chinese liquor, were also confiscated during the raid.

The raid ensued based on President Xi Jinping's announcement the government is serious in curtailing corruption in the ranks of the PLA. He had earlier prohibited the use of luxury cars and banquets.

A recent new order has ordered the military to stop using foreign luxury brands like Benz, Audi and Toyota and instead use locally made cars.

"There is grave corruption in the military especially in the logistics sector, but revelations on the military's graft fight is always kept off the radar for the sake of the military's image," the Global Times newspaper said, citing an unidentified "anti-graft expert."

Mr Gu joined the military in 1971. In 1985, he started handling military business operations in Puyang. Over the next decade he rose to oversee the logistics department in 2009.

Caixin said he "profited from the projects and land deals in which he was involved."

The Chinese magazine portal said Mr Gu received a six per cent kickback for a military plot that fetched more than $330 million in Shanghai.

Mr Gu had since stepped down from the post in February 2012 following the anti-corruption probe launched against him.

His name can no longer be seen at the official Defense Ministry Web site. Gong Fangbin, a professor at the PLA National Defense University, confirmed Mr Gu is under investigation.

However it is feared the details of the case may not be publicly disclosed because it might be heard before a military court.

But others think it may be a different China government this time, based on the widespread coverage the state media has afforded on Mr Gu's alleged misdeeds.