ICICI Bank case: Probe officer transferred for 'leaking information related to searches'

The Central Bureau of Investigation has justified the transfer of Sudhanshu Dhar Mishra, the investigating officer in the ICICI Bank case, citing his role in leaking information related to searches.

News agency ANI quoted a source as saying, "On January  22 a case was registered and immediately after that, searches were proposed to be conducted. However, possibility of information about searches being leaked was suspected. Therefore discreet inquiry was conducted and role of SP Sudhanshu Dhar Mishra was strongly suspected."

"ICICI case is one of the very important cases that has been pending without progress. The preliminary enquiry was registered earlier in this case and was later converted into registered case", ANI further quoted.

"Hence he has been transferred out. A detailed inquiry into the matter is pending. Searches were under the supervision of Mohit Gupta, SP (CBI). Role of Sudhanshu Dhar Mishra in keeping the case pending and other persons if any is also been looked into, " ANI added.

Superintendent of Police Sudhanshu Dhar Mishra was transferred to Ranchi, a day after filing the FIR in the case against former ICICI CEO Chanda Kochhar, her husband Deepak and Videocon group MD Venugopal Dhoot on January 22.

The agency had carried out searches at multiple locations after the charge of the case was given to new Investigating officer Mohit Gupta, a CBI they said.

Justifying the transfer, the CBI pinned the blame on Mishra for keeping the preliminary enquiry pending without any reasons, PTI quoted a CBI official as saying.

(With inputs from agencies)