The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has urged to sanction to prosecute former Defence Secretary and Comptroller Auditor General Shashi Kant Sarma along with four others for their alleged involvement in the Rs 3600 crores VVIP chopper scandal, an Economic Times report stated.

The four others include Air Vice Marshal Jasbir Singh Panesar and three IAF officials S A Kunte, Deputy Chief Test pilot; Thomas Mathew, Wing Commander, and N Santosh, an ex group captain, the report said.

"As per the federal agency, the five took "key decisions" and were actively involved in the "procurement process" of the VVIP chopper deal which took place during UPA-II. Relevant evidence allegedly incriminating the five officials has been furnished by the agency to the Ministry of Defence. The prosecution sanction is yet awaited, people said with direct knowledge of the matter", the Economic Times report added.

The agency is likely to file its supplementary charge sheet after the grant/denial of prosecution sanction(s) by the Ministry of Defence and Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).

According to the Economic Times report on March 3, the CBI had informed a local Court showing 20 new accused in its second supplementary charge sheet. A third supplementary charge sheet will be filed after CBI files its second supplementary charge sheet.

The VVIP chopper scandal led to a loss of 398.21 million euros to the government, according to CBI's charge sheet in September 2017.