Updated

A major corruption case shaking Iraq has been taken up by the country's prosecutor general.

Iraq's Higher Judicial Council says Judge Mohammed al-Janabi, the chief prosecutor, filed a complaint against some lawmakers and politicians accused of corruption on Wednesday.

During a questioning in parliament earlier this week, Defense Minister Khaled al-Obeidi accused parliament speaker, four sitting lawmakers, one former lawmaker and two parliamentary officials of trying to persuade him to secure specific contracts and to reinstate employees fired due to corruption.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi imposed a travel ban on those accused.

It's still unclear how the revelations will affect the country's political strife amid preparations to retake the northern city of Mosul from the Islamic State group.