Mumbai: Three-day CBI custody for Ex-ICICI head, husband

The Kochhars appeared before the ED in Delhi in 2019. Pic/Getty

After almost four years of filing an FIR, the CBI on Saturday, secured a three-day remand of Chanda Kochhar, former MD and CEO of ICICI bank and her husband Deepak Kochhar. The husband-wife duo was presented in the city's special CBI court, a day after the Delhi police arrested them. The case pertains to alleged loan fraud and money laundering by the Kochhars in 2019, causing huge financial loss to the bank. While seeking remand, the CBI accused the couple of non-cooperation. The defense, however, called the arrest illegal.

Representing the duo, advocate Amit Desai, argued that in all these years the Kochhars were summoned by the CBI only in July this year, and the couple cooperated. Earlier in December too, the couple adhered to summons. The defense also alleged that the CBI didn't take approval from the competent authority, under Prevention of Corruption Act, section 17 A, before arresting Chanda Kochhar, who was a public servant. Although the CBI claimed that necessary approval was taken, it could not present the same before the court.

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In December 2017, the CBI started a preliminary enquiry against the Kochhars and Venugopal Dhoot of Videocon group. In January 2019, it filed an FIR against the three, Videocon International, Videocon Industries, NuPower Renewables Pvt Ltd (NRPL) and Supreme Energy Pvt Ltd of Deepak Kochhar. According to the CBI FIR, between 2009 and 2011, when Kochhar was at the helm of the bank, six high value loans were given out to various companies of the Videocon group, in violation of the bank's credit policies, RBI guidelines and Banking Regulation Act, 1949. In total, over Rs 1,500 core turned into non-performing assets.