Bombay HC Allows SFIO To Question Deepak Kochhar With Time Flexibility Citing Age Concerns

The Bombay High Court has granted relief to Deepak Kochhar, businessman and former ICICI Bank MD and CEO Chanda Kochhar’s husband, by directing the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) to accommodate his age-related concerns while participating in an interrogation. 

Kochhar had been summoned by SFIO to Chennai in connection with investigations into the affairs of NuPower Renewables Pvt Ltd (NRPL), a company managed and controlled by him, and other companies. He filed a petition before the high court  seeking direction to the SFIO to question him during working hours due to his seniority and travel from Mumbai to Chennai. 

Petition Sought Protection from Coercive Action

The petition sought several prayers, including a request to prevent any coercive action against Kochhar and to ensure that he is only summoned and questioned within office hours. The petition also sought a direction for the SFIO to refrain from questioning him beyond working hours. 

A bench of Justices Ravindra Ghuge and Gautam Ankhad, on August 8, noted that Kochhar is a senior citizen and asked the investigation agency to accommodate his request. 

Court Orders Mid-Morning Start Time

“Considering that the Petitioner (Kochhar) is a senior citizen and will be traveling from Mumbai, we recommend summoning him around 11.30 am with interrogation starting within an hour of his arrival.” The court also mentioned that if the interrogation continued until 5pm, the petitioner could be called back for further questioning on a mutually agreed schedule.

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Kochhar has now been called for questioning on August 13 at 11.30 am. The court further emphasized that this schedule should remain consistent for any subsequent interrogation dates.

Linked to Videocon Loan Case

Kochhars are under investigation concerning the Videocon case and 12 other companies. Chanda Kochhar is booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act over a loan of Rs3,200 crore given to the Videocon group when she was at the helm. The central agency had arrested Chanda and Deepak Kochhar and founder of Videocon group Venugopal Dhoot. The CBI FIR names Kochhars and Dhoot along with companies Nupower Renewables managed by Deepak Kochhar, Supreme Energy, Videocon International Electronics Ltd and Videocon Industries Limited, as accused.