Questions over the sale of French-built Scorpene submarines to militaries across the world may finally ensnare some of France's highest-ranking leaders.

They include former French president Jacques Chirac, former prime ministers Dominique de Villipin and Edouard Balladur and the country's current president Nicholas Sarkozy, as well as an unknown number current and former French defence executives.

In addition, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak should be starting to get nervous, along with officials in India, Chile and Brazil...