The Bombay High Court on Friday reserved order in plea filed by Venugopal Dhoot, founder of Videocon group.
He had filed plea in the court seeking quashing of FIR registered against him by CBI in alleged ICICI-Videocon loan fraud case. He had also sought release from the jail.
The court had given the probe agency CBI time to file its response by today, January 13.
Dhoot seeks quashing of FIR, stay on probe
Dhoot has sought quashing of the FIR and prayed that the probe be stayed. He has also sought his release on bail. The CBI arrested Dhoot on December 26, 2022, and is presently in judicial custody.
According to the petition, Dhoot termed his arrest by the CBI as “arbitrary, illegal, done without following due procedure of law and in gross violation of section 41 (A) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which mandates for a notice to be issued to accused to join the probe and to make an arrest only if absolutely necessary”.
His plea states that he is a senior citizen suffering from serious ailments and having undergone multiple surgeries and hospitalisation in the last seven years.
Deeply rooted in India, not intention of absconding: Dhoot's plea
Seeking release, his plea states that he is deeply rooted in India with no intention of absconding or evading arrest or obstructing CBI’s investigation.
He has also stated that he appeared before CBI on his own and on their request to cooperate with the investigation. Also, CBI failed to make out a case of his non co-operation to the investigation as a reason for his arrest.
Further, he has said that the special court carelessly and mechanically authorised the arrest which was carried out without necessary cause or reason.
A special CBI court in Mumbai had remanded Kochhars and Dhoot to judicial custody on December 29. Thereafter, Dhoot had approached the special court challenging his arrest. The special court rejected his application on January 5, opining that it does not have the power to review its own order remanding Dhoot to custody. Aggrieved by the same, Dhoot approached the High Court.
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