A notice released by the general office of the State Council on Monday said that 122 officials, including 16 at department-director level and 58 county-level officials, were called to account for substandard cables in a subway project in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province.

Among them were the city's Executive Vice-Mayor Lyu Jian, while another 17 have been filed for investigation. The notice said local leaders and supervisors engaged in the case received disciplinary or criminal punishments or were fired.

Tang Hongbo, former deputy director of the office of Xi'an Subway Construction Headquarters, was dismissed from the Party and the government. His case involving suspected crimes has been transferred to the judiciary departments.

From Aug 2014 to the end of last year, inferior cables manufactured by Shaanxi Aokai Cable Co were purchased for Xi'an Subway Line 3 posed potential security threats, according to a joint investigation led by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine. The investigation defined the case as one involving producing and selling shoddy goods, as well as collusion between the company and local officials.

The case, first exposed by internet users in March, was confirmed by the city's metro company. Earlier this month, the Shaanxi provincial government was ordered to submit a reflective, written self-criticism to the State Council and invalidate the company's authentication certificates, trademarks and licenses.