Chanda Kochhar, former CEO of ICICI Bank, has petitioned the Bombay High Court to limit interrogations by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) to office hours in the Videocon loan fraud case. Her plea, referencing similar adjustments by the Enforcement Directorate, addresses concerns over late-night questioning affecting personal rights. The Court will review this issue further on November 27.
Mumbai: Former ICICI Bank CEO Chanda Kochhar has approached the Bombay High Court with a plea requesting the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) to restrict its questioning to regular office hours. Her appeal is part of the ongoing investigation into the Videocon-ICICI loan fraud case, where she stands accused.
Kochhar’s plea highlights concerns over the timing and duration of interrogations. She has asked the Court to direct the SFIO to adopt a policy similar to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which, following a recent internal circular, conducts questioning under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) only during office hours.
“Like the ED, the SFIO should be required to limit questioning to reasonable hours,”
argued Kochhar’s lawyer, Senior Advocate Amit Desai, during the hearing. He noted that the summons issued to her on November 5 for questioning on November 22 was only delivered on November 14, after office hours.
The plea also referenced the Bombay High Court’s previous observations regarding late-night interrogations, emphasizing their impact on an individual’s right to rest. The Court had raised similar concerns in other cases, prompting agencies like the ED to adjust their practices.
During the proceedings, the SFIO’s counsel assured the Court that no coercive action would be taken against Kochhar and confirmed that the questioning scheduled for November 22 would take place only during office hours. The Court has adjourned the matter until November 27, allowing the SFIO to decide on implementing a broader directive for conducting interrogations during reasonable hours.
Notably, Deepak Kochhar, Chanda Kochhar’s husband, had filed a similar plea in October, after being interrogated for nearly 12 hours in the same case. On October 25, the Bombay High Court granted him interim relief, instructing the SFIO to conduct any future questioning only during office hours.
The Videocon-ICICI loan fraud case revolves around a ₹3,200 crore loan issued by ICICI Bank to the Videocon Group during Chanda Kochhar’s tenure. Both Chanda and Deepak Kochhar have been summoned multiple times as part of the investigation.
This development underscores a broader debate about the balance between investigative needs and the rights of individuals under scrutiny, with the Court expected to weigh in further on the matter in the coming days.
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