A former district head in Shanghai was arrested on Thursday on corruption charges, according to the Shanghai procuratorate.

The office said in a statement that Cai Zhiqiang, former head of the Putuo District, was arrested on suspicion of taking a "huge amount" of bribes since 1997, when he served as deputy director of the human resources department under the Personnel Bureau of Shanghai.

The 45-year-old had allegedly sought benefits for others by taking advantage of his posts, said the statement.

Cai, also former deputy to Shanghai Municipal People's Congress, resigned from his post earlier this month.

Former deputy head of the Putuo District Government Zhang Keming was sentenced at a Shanghai court in March to 13 years in jail for taking bribes worth 1.87 million yuan.