MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican authorities have detained a former official of President Enrique Pena Nieto's Institutional Revolutionary Party in a corruption case involving a now-fugitive ex-governor.

Alejandro Gutierrez is reportedly suspected of participating in a scheme to divert about 240 million pesos ($12 million) in public funds for political campaigning.

Gov. Javier Corral of the northern border state of Chihuahua said Wednesday in statements on social media that Gutierrez was arrested in the morning by federal and state police in Chihuahua.

Corral says the arrest "contributes to clearing up the crimes of political corruption that have been imputed to ex-Gov. Cesar Duarte."

He adds that the case involved the alleged diversion of public money to the Institutional Revolutionary Party's 2016 electoral campaign.

Duarte has denied wrongdoing.