A Chinese businessman-official is suing police for 130 million yuan ($19.6 million) claiming he was detained for almost two weeks because of a personal vendetta.

Hu Xufeng, 36, is the CEO of a real-estate company in the northwestern province of Shaanxi. He is also a representative for Shangnan County, part of Shangluo City.

Commercial disputes in China are common, but Hu’s position as a county representative, as well as the large sum of compensation being sought, mark this case as unusual, and illustrates how commercial agreements that involve members of the police force can go horribly wrong.

In a telephone interview with Sixth Tone on Thursday, Hu denied that his bid for compensation was a publicity stunt or that the amount of damages being sought was unreasonable.

“The police have ruined my reputation, resulting in great monetary loss as well as the departure of many of my business partners,” Hu said, adding that he wants the police to realize the trouble they have caused him.

According to Hu, the saga began in 2011 when policeman Xue Yanhe invested 10 million yuan into one of Hu’s real estate projects. The following year Xue asked for his money back. Hu returned 4 million yuan that year and agreed to return the rest by the end of June in 2013.

Xue could not be reached immediately for comment. Calls to the police station where he worked in Yanan City, Shaanxi province, went unanswered Thursday.

Hu said that transfer didn’t happen because he had to undergo treatment for esophageal cancer in Beijing. He also cited financial pressures at his company as a compounding reason for his inability to pay.

Thereafter the situation escalated. On Aug. 5, 2015, Hu was taken away by the police. While Hu was detained, his family was asked to clear the remaining 6 million yuan still owed to Xue. That sum has since been cleared, Hu said.

Hu accuses the police of detaining him as part of an arbitrary attempt to seek redress for Xue, a member of the force. “The police bureau just made a business dispute I had with one of its officers a criminal case and wrongly detained me for 13 days,” Hu told Sixth Tone.

Though Hu was subsequently released, he was furious about his treatment and so turned to Shangnan County, where he is a representative, for help. The county issued a letter, which claimed that given Hu’s status as representative, his detention had been “illegal.”

But for Hu, the trouble is not over yet. Xue is still seeking compensation for interest, which Hu refused to pay. Legal proceedings are ongoing.

(Header image: Zhou Shaobo/VCG)