Chanda Kocchar, Deepak Kocchar, Rajeev Kocchar, Videocon loan case, CBI, Venugopal Dhoot, ICICI, SBI, PNB, Airports, lookout not.
In the latest development on Friday late night, Indian probe agencies reportedly have issued a lookout notice to all airports against ICICI Bank MD and CEO Chanda Kochhar, her husband Deepak Kochhar and Videocon Group promoter Venugopal Dhoot.
The LOC was sent at the behest of the CBI which last week filed a preliminary enquiry case against Deepak Kochhar and Venugopal Dhoot. Rajiv Kochhar, brother of Deepak Kochhar and promoter of Avista Advisory Services, was detained at Mumbai airport when he was leaving for Singapore for a business trip, according to an India Today report.
However, talking to another publication, Venugopal Dhoot said that the news is misleading and declined to comment further on the matter.
Earlier on Friday, the CBI questioned Rajiv Kochhar, ICICI Bank MD and CEO Chanda Kochhar's brother-in-law, for the second day in a row over his connection with the bank's Rs 3,250 crore loan to Videocon Group in 2012.
Rajiv Kochhar, who was asked to appear at the CBI office in Mumbai, was examined about the loan and his links with Venugopal Dhoot, the promoter of the Videocon Group, and Videocon, officials said.
He was detained at the Mumbai airport on Thursday, as he was trying to board a flight for a South East Asian country, on the basis of a look out circular issued by the CBI, they said.
He was questioned by the CBI yesterday as well after his detention at the airport.
The agency has registered a preliminary probe naming Videocon Group promoter Venugopal Dhoot, Deepak Kochhar and unidentified others in connection with the loan, they said.
A preliminary inquiry is the first step by the CBI to gather information about the allegations. If the agency is convinced there exists prima facie material in the matter, it may register a regular case against the accused.
The deal recently made news after reports questioned the loan and linked it to a possible quid pro quo that Dhoot allegedly had with NuPower Renewables, a company founded by Deepak Kochchar, Chanda Kochar's husband and Rajiv Kochar's brother.
Last week, the ICICI Bank board came out in support of Chanda Kochhar, saying it had full faith and confidence in her. It described reports against her regarding credit disbursement to Videocon Group as "malicious and unfounded rumours".