ICICI Bank loan controversy: Justice BN Srikrishna panel seeks replies from Chanda Kochhar, other entities

The Justice BN Srikrishna panel, which is probing certain allegations against Chanda Kochhar, has reportedly sought replies from the former ICICI Bank CEO and other involved entities, a media report said. The panel, which is nearing closure in its probe to examine allegations of impropriety in ICICI Bank for allegedly extending loans to some companies, is expected to submit its final report by the third week of January, Business Standard reported. “The queries to parties also cover missing links, which are essential to understand the whole genesis,” a source familiar with the development was quoted as saying by the newspaper. In September, the panel had said that it would go through all property dealings by the Kochhar family since she took over as CEO of ICICI Bank. ICICI Bank board had asked the panel to examine whether properties and assets acquired by the Kochhar family were purchased at concessional prices. [caption id=“attachment_4425675” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] A file photo of Chanda Kochhar. Reuters[/caption] It has been alleged that Kochhar’s family members, including her husband Deepak, got financial favours from the bank’s borrowers against the loans the private lender sanctioned. Market regulator Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) had served a notice to Kochhar on dealings of the bank with Videocon Group and Nupower – a firm controlled by her husband. Recently, the SEBI said the case involving ICICI Bank and Kochhar for alleged regulatory lapses was pending before the adjudicating officer. As per SEBI’s preliminary probe, Chanda Kochhar’s husband Deepak had many business dealings with the Videocon group over the past several years. In October, Law firm Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas withdrew its 2016 report that had given a clean chit to former ICICI Bank chief executive Chanda Kochhar with regard to nepotism allegations against her. ICICI Bank in a regulatory filing had said the clean chit given to Kochhar in March this year was based on the inquiry report of the law firm which is now saying that the same should no longer be treated as valid.  –With inputs from agencies