Dhoot told Chanda Kochhar's husband she would 'land up sharing room with Indrani': Chargesheet in ICICI Bank loan fraud case

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Videocon Group founder, Venugopal Dhoot, reportedly engaged in a heated argument involving a flat with Deepak Kochhar, husband of ICICI Bank's former CEO and MD, Chanda Kochhar, PTI reported.

According to the chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in an alleged loan irregularities case, Dhoot warned Deepak Kochhar that Chanda Kochhar might "end up sharing a room with Indrani Mukerjea."

During the altercation, Deepak Kochhar expressed his anger and issued a warning to Dhoot to heed his advice, threatening potential consequences otherwise, as per the chargesheet.

These revelations, based on the statement of a witness, have been included in the CBI's chargesheet against Chanda Kochhar, Deepak Kochhar, and Dhoot. All three, who were arrested in December of the previous year, are presently out on bail.

Indrani Mukerjea, the primary accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, spent over six years in Byculla jail following her arrest in August 2015. She was granted bail by the Supreme Court in May 2022.

The comprehensive chargesheet in the Kochhar case, spanning over 10,000 pages, was recently submitted to a special CBI court.

According to the statement of a witness, the altercation between Dhoot and Deepak Kochhar centered around a flat situated at the CCI Chambers in Churchgate, Mumbai.

Dhoot informed Deepak Kochhar that he had settled a dispute by paying Rs 5.38 crore to the State Bank of India Home Finance Ltd. Consequently, he released the title of the flat, asserting its ownership, as stated by the witness.

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"Deepak Kochhar grew increasingly agitated and suggested that V N Dhoot should sell all the shares of Quality Appliance Pvt Ltd at the face value of Rs 11 lakh. This, he claimed, would facilitate the transfer of the flat to his family trust, Quality Advisor. Alternatively, he warned that Chanda might declare his loan accounts with ICICI Bank as Non-Performing Assets," the statement detailed.

"V N Dhoot advised Deepak against transferring the flat in a manner that could lead Chanda into future trouble, even suggesting she might share a room with Indrani Mukerjea. Deepak Kochhar responded heatedly, urging V N Dhoot to heed his advice, or else face consequences," the statement added.

The investigative agency revealed that Chanda Kochhar resided in a flat owned by the Videocon Group in Mumbai. The flat was subsequently transferred to her family trust, managed by Deepak Kochhar, for a nominal sum of Rs 11 lakh in October 2016. This transaction, the chargesheet stated, undervalued the flat, which had an actual worth of Rs 5.25 crore in 1996. Chanda Kochhar was reportedly aware that this transaction did not provide adequate consideration.

The Kochhars were apprehended by the CBI in December of the preceding year in connection to the case.

Subsequently, the Bombay High Court granted interim bail to the couple, reprimanding the CBI for their "casual and mechanical" arrest without proper consideration.

Dhoot, who was also arrested in December of the prior year, is currently out on bail.

The CBI has implicated the Kochhars, Venugopal Dhoot, Nupower Renewables (NRL) under the management of Deepak Kochhar, Supreme Energy, Videocon International Electronics Ltd, and Videocon Industries Limited in the FIR registered under the Indian Penal Code sections pertaining to criminal conspiracy and the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act in 2019. (PTI)