ICICI Bank chief Chanda Kochhar and Axis Bank's Shikha Sharma have been summoned by the anti-fraud agency, SFIO, in a bank fraud case.
Sources said the two top bank executives of private banks had been called in context of the probe in credit extended to Mehul Choksi's Gitanjali Group by a bank consortium.
Ms Kochhar is the chief executive officer of ICICI bank and Ms Sharma, heads Axis Bank.
ICICI Bank led a consortium of 31 banks that lent money to the Gitanjali Group. Sources indicate the senior officials are only being questioned for clarifications and not as accused in the fraud case.
ICICI Bank had earlier underlined that the private bank did not have any exposure to Nirav Modi group of companies but the bank was only lending working capital to the group along with several other banks.
The CBI also had earlier questioned ICICI Bank Executive Director NS Kanan as part of its probe.
Axis Bank chief executive officer Shikha Sharma is among the top bank officials called by the SFIO.
Nearly 20 people have been arrested in bank fraud cases linked to celebrity diamond designer Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi by the CBI over the last one month in the Punjab National Bank fraud case.
The SFIO, the investigating arm of the Corporate Affairs Ministry to probe corporate frauds, is one of the half a dozen central agencies that are probing the bank fraud including the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate, or ED.
The Enforcement Directorate is looking into allegations that the bank funds were laundered and used to create illegal assets and black money. It had earlier summoned top serving and former officials of Punjab National Bank.
According to news agency PTI, the Serious Fraud Investigation Office has approached other lenders which have exposure to the firms promoted by Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi.
The SFIO is said to have asked senior executives from the 31 banks who have done business dealings with the firms promoted by Modi and Choksi to be present at its office in the financial capital, the news agency added.
Sources said the two top bank executives of private banks had been called in context of the probe in credit extended to Mehul Choksi's Gitanjali Group by a bank consortium.
Ms Kochhar is the chief executive officer of ICICI bank and Ms Sharma, heads Axis Bank.
ICICI Bank had earlier underlined that the private bank did not have any exposure to Nirav Modi group of companies but the bank was only lending working capital to the group along with several other banks.
Advertisement
Nearly 20 people have been arrested in bank fraud cases linked to celebrity diamond designer Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi by the CBI over the last one month in the Punjab National Bank fraud case.
Advertisement
The Enforcement Directorate is looking into allegations that the bank funds were laundered and used to create illegal assets and black money. It had earlier summoned top serving and former officials of Punjab National Bank.
Advertisement
The SFIO is said to have asked senior executives from the 31 banks who have done business dealings with the firms promoted by Modi and Choksi to be present at its office in the financial capital, the news agency added.
COMMENTS
Advertisement
UP Banker Dies By Suicide After 6 Months Of Bullying, Body-Shaming Adani One, ICICI Launch Credit Cards With Airport-Linked Benefits 17,000 Credit Cards Mapped To Wrong Users, No Misuse Reported: ICICI Bank Nurse Raped, Killed On Way Home, Body Found 9 Days Later In UP "Don't Expect Anything From Me": Kolkata Hospital's New Principal Loses Cool Rahul Gandhi's Seat At Red Fort Triggers Fresh Congress Attack On BJP White House Slams Violence Against West Bank Palestinian Settlers By Israel US Approves Sale Of 600 Patriot Missiles To Germany Ceasefire Must Involve "Complete" Israeli Withdrawal From Gaza: Hamas Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.