A special court on Friday held that former ICICI Bank MD and CEO Chanda Kochhar, an accused in the Videocon loan case, is not required to be heard on the CBI’s application to add Section 409 of the Indian Penal Code to the charges against her. The court said that she has no locus standi and it is the domain of the investigating officer to decide on any particular section to be added or deleted on the basis of the material collected.
Last month, after arresting Kochhar on December 23, the CBI had informed the court that during her remand hearing the next day, it will add Section 409 of the IPC to the charges against her.
The section pertains to criminal breach of trust by a public servant or by a banker, merchant or agent, and proposes the maximum imprisonment of life. Kochhar’s lawyer had argued that she needs to be heard on the plea and be allowed to make submissions on how the section cannot be invoked against her.
