After investigations lasting two and a half years, the CBI moved this month to prosecute the officers who include chairman and former chief managing director P S Gupta, former executive director R N Mahendru and general manager finance Dhirendra Krishna.

CBI sources said the letter seeking sanction, now considered a mere formality in the light of a recent Supreme Court order permiting to prosecute PSU officials without prior sanction, was forwarded to the ministry concerned a fortnight ago.

While Gupta retired several years ago, Mahendru was sacked by the public sector unit last year.