Chugh Allowed To Move Out Of Calcutta

Krishan Lal Chugh, chairman emeritus of ITC, was yesterday granted permission to leave the city by the chief metropolitan magistrate. Chug was granted bail on December 18 last after being in detention for 49 days, most which was spent at the SSKM Hospital. While granting bail, the magistrate, however, had directed Chugh not to leave Calcutta without the court's permission.

The magistrate has now directed Chugh to appear before the enforcement directorate for further interrogation as and when nessesary.

The court also directed the directorate to give prior notice to Chugh for any further interrogation.

The former ITC chief was arrested at midnight on October 31 by the enforcement directorate, along with his predecessor Jagdish Narain Sapru, for their alleged involvement in Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (Fera) violations to the tune of $100 million by the tobacco major.

After getting the permission to go to New Delhi, a delighted Chugh said: "Last two months I was the guest of Calcutta."

Chugh is the last of the 14 ITC executives, both past and now in service, to obtain the permission from the magistrate to leave the city, after being arrested by the enforcement directorate.

Chugh's counsel Tapen Ray Choudury sought the court's permission that he be permitted to stay in New Delhi with his family and that he will appear before the directorate whenever required for interrogation.

The counsel, who appeared on behalf of the directorate, said that they had no objection.