BEIJING - Four professors have been arrested for swindling state scientific research funds with false subjects, China's anti-corruption watchdog revealed on Friday.

The four includes Li Ning of the Chinese University of Agriculture, a leading scientist for trans-gene biology research. He is the first in China to clone a rare cattle species in 2002.

They were found with violations by the National Audit Office in 2012, among seven professors in five universities, according to a release from the Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

The seven were claimed to have swindled over 25 million yuan ($4 mln) of the state scientific research funds.

The Ministry of Science and Technology, which manages the funds, later organized an internal inspection and punished eight people involved in the cases, including the four arrested. Chen Yingxu, a water environment professor in Zhejiang University, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for stealing nearly 10 million yuan from the funds earlier this year.

The Chinese government spent 1 trillion yuan, or about 1.97 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP), on research and development in 2012 under its scientific innovation drive. The figure surpassed 2 percent for the first time to reach 2.05 percent in 2013.

However, much of the money has been misused, according to the ministry.