ICICI Bank - Videocon loan case: After being quizzed for fourth consecutive day, Chanda Kochhar leaves ED office

After intensive questioning by the Enforcement Directorate, former CEO and MD of ICICI Bank CEO Chanda Kochhar left the Mumbai office of the investigating agency little after 10 pm on Monday. She was summoned by ED for the fourth consecutive day on Monday.

Kochhar, who is being probed into the alleged irregularities and corrupt practices in sanctioning Rs 1,875-crore loan by the bank to the Videocon Group, deposed the investigators around 11.30 on Monday.

On Saturday, the ED questioned Chanda Kochhar, her husband Deepak Kochhar and Videocon Group promoter Venugopal Dhoot. Chanda left the probe agency's office little after half an hour while Deepak and Dhoot were quizzed till late night on March.

Their statements were recorded by the ED and documents which were seized by the agency were also confronted before them.

On Friday, the ED had searched premises of Chanda Kochhar and Venugopal Dhoot in Mumbai and Aurangabad respectively in connection with a money laundering case, an official said.

The development comes weeks after the ED registered a criminal case against the two for alleged money laundering. The case was registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering (PMLA) Act.

On February 22, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had issued lookout circulars (LOCs) against Kochhar, her husband Deepak Kochharand Videocon Group's Managing Director Dhoot.

"The LOCs were issued after the FIR was filed in the case. LOCs are mandatory in cases where such economic offences are alleged," the official said, adding, "In recent times, keeping an eye on travel plans is a top concern for regulators."

The ED had registered a criminal case last month against Kochhar, her husband, Deepak Kochhar, Venugopal Dhoot and others to probe alleged irregularities and corrupt practices in sanctioning of an Rs 3,250-crore loan by the bank to the corporate group.

The CBI had filed a complaint last month and an Enforcement Case Information Report later under the PMLA.

The agency is probing if alleged kickbacks were generated in the loan deal and laundered to create tainted assets.