Tai, 57, psychologist Ip Kim-ching, 55, and Sek Sau-ching, 50, were charged by the Independent Commission Against Corruption with breaching the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance.

The case was mentioned in Eastern Magistrates' Courts this morning. The judge adjourned the case to be handled on August 19 in District Court.

Tai will remain in custody over the 35+ primary election case. Ip and Sek on the hand were granted HK$10,000 bail. The pair were banned from leaving Hong Kong and contacting witnesses for the prosecution.

The trio were charged jointly with four counts of illegal conduct over election expenses of more than HK$253,000 for six ads in two newspapers, Ming Pao and the now-defunct Apple Daily, through the Eggs Alliance Co in 2016.

Ip and Sek were both directors of Eggs Alliance and authorized signatories of its bank account.

The ICAC said it started an investigation after receiving complaints about breaches of the election law.

Its investigation revealed that Eggs Alliance paid HK$133,540 for the three ads placed in Ming Pao and HK$120,000 for three in Apple Daily.