New Delhi, Aug 17 - Some shareholders of the state-run power utility NTPC moved a petition Monday seeking directions to its management from the Delhi High Court to ensure all legal steps are taken to get natural gas supplies from Reliance Industries at the contracted price.

The petition filed on their behalf by advocate R.N. Ramalingam also asks the court to order a probe into NTPC with regard to its contract with Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries for the supply of 12 million units of gas at $2.34 per unit from the Krishna-Godavari basin.

'NTPC and its officials are acting against the public interest and are acting in a manner that a huge wrongful profit will be made to Reliance Industries to the tune of Rs.25,000 crore at the cost of public exchequer,' the petition said.

The litigation was filed here while NTPC was advised by the government to move the Supreme Court to secure gas from Reliance Industries. The Bombay High Court is also hearing the matter.

Two top law officers of the government, Attorney General Goolam E. Vahanvati and Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam, have already advised the company to move the apex court immediately to secure its interest in the gas row.