Chinese police arrested a mine boss who smeared coal on his face just to show he had been in the mine where at least 34 miners lost their lives and nine are still struggling to come out.

Qi Guming, deputy head of the mine was taken into custody on suspicion of faking evidence as he smeared coal on his face pretending he was in the shaft where the miners were working. Citing the safety of mine workers in China, the country brought out a new law by which mine bosses have to be in the mine when other miners are working.

After the accident, Qi rushed down the shaft and smeared coal on his face to pretend he had escaped from underground, The People's Daily reported.

On Sunday ... the public security authority confirmed that Qi did not go down the shaft on that day, and made false claims to the rescue command office, the report added.

Earlier, the state media reported that the coal mine was being operated illegally as its license was revoked a year ago. The report also said that the provincial coal safety bureau had ordered the mine to stop operation in April but it continued without putting any safety measures in place.

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