Videocon loan case: How raids at \'wrong premises\' helped CBI avoid media glare



Videocon loan case: How raids at 'wrong premises' helped CBI avoid media glare

Videocon loan case: How raids at 'wrong premises' helped CBI

Representational image

The CBI, which Thursday registered a criminal case against Videocon group along with ICICI Banks ex-chief Chanda Kochhar and her husband Deepak Kochhar for alleged irregularities in sanctioning Rs 1,875 crore loans to the now crippled group, started raids from different premises to ensure its sleuths are away from the media glare.

Going by the address of Videocon Industries as given in the FIR, the actual CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) raid should have taken place in the 17th-floor office on the B-Wing of the sprawling Mittal Court complex in the tony Nariman Point area of the city.

But CBI sleuths have carried out the day-long raids in the 17th-floor office in the C-Wing of the same complex where other Videocon Group industries are housed! To be fair, it has been found that both the wings are inter-connected, though.

What is more ironical is that the nameplate of Videocon Industries, the prime accused in the FIR, is written in Marathi with a sketch pen, while the other group companies have proper nameplates in metal frames.

The name Videocon Industries is pasted with a packaging tape from inside the door, which can be seen only if the door is opened!

Earlier in the day, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has booked the Dhoots of the Videocon group along with Chanda Kochhar, the former CEO and MD of ICICI Bank 

and her husband Deepak, for alleged irregularities in sanctioning six loans worth Rs 1,875 crore to the now crippled Videocon Group and other group entities.

In the FIR, Videocon Industries is mentioned as located on the 17th floor of the B-Wing of the Mittal Court complex, while group entities like Videocon Industries, Videocon 

International Electronics and four other entities are located on the 17th floor of the C-Wing of the same building.

The other companies on the 17th floor of the C-Wing include Videocon Games, Chhattisgarh Power Ventures, Prosperous Energy, and VOVL. 

Interestingly all these companies are not mentioned in the FIR filed by the CBI. It could also not be established immediately whether these companies are indeed Videocon group entities.

The FIR names Videocon International Electronics, Videocon Industries, VN Dhoot, the group managing director; Chanda Kochhar, Deepak Kochhar, the head of Nupower 

Renewables and the company Nupower Renewables, Supreme Energy, Other unknown private persons, and Unknown public servants.