Mumbai: Former ICICI Bank Chairman and CEO Chanda Kochhar and husband Deepak Kochhar appeared before the Enforcement Directorate here Saturday in connection with a money-laundering case related to a bank loan fraud, officials said.
The two reached the central agency’s regional office in Ballard Estate area around noon, a day after the ED raided their premises. Officials said the investigating officer of the case will record their statements under the Prevention of Money-Laundering Act (PMLA).
The ED conducted Friday searches at the premises of Chanda and Venugopal Dhoot of Videocon Group in Mumbai and Aurangabad, respectively. A total of five premises were covered, Ed officials informed. The two were interrogated by the agency officials Friday too.
It is expected that Dhoot, a Videocon Group promoter, who was also questioned Friday, will appear before the agency later in the day.
The ED has registered a criminal case under the PMLA early this year against Chanda, Deepak, Dhoot and others to probe alleged irregularities and corrupt practices in sanctioning of Rs 1,875-crore loans by ICICI Bank to the corporate group.
The CBI has named all the three and Dhoot’s companies – Videocon International Electronics Ltd (VIEL) and Videocon Industries Limited (VIL). The CBI also named ‘Supreme Energy’, a company founded by Dhoot, and ‘NuPower Renewables’, a company controlled by Deepak in the FIR.
PTI
