Chanda Kochhar moves SC against Bombay HC order on her ‘termination’ from ICICI Bank, seeks post-retirement benefits

livemint.com:

alleged out-of-turn loans worth ₹3,250 crore issued to the Videocon Group, between 2009 and 2018, which in-turn allegedly benefitted her husband Deepak Kochhar. ICICI Bank had in 2019 conducted an internal inquiry, and concluded that Kochhar had violated the norms related to conflict of interest.

The lender was of the view that her exit should not be considered a normal resignation but a dismissal. Since Kochhar was “terminated" by the bank, she was deprived of the post-retirement benefits and entitlements.

In her plea before the Bombay HC earlier this year, the former top banker said her rights, including Employee Stock Options (ESOPs), have been "wrongfully revoked by the bank as a consequence of her illegal termination post her retirement." Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels. Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights! Click here! In her petition before the Supreme Court, Kochhar said that the high court did not appreciate her argument that the ICICI Bank had no legal or contractual basis to terminate her following her resignation.

The bank should be restrained by the apex court from “denying, obstructing or interfering with her exercise of the vested and unvested stock options", that were allotted to her under the Bank's Retirement acceptance letter issued on October 4, 2018, the plea added. Apart from the retirement benefits, the bank has prevented her from dealing in 690,000 shares that she held.

“...the HC has wrongly held that the balance of convenience is completely in favour of the bank," Economic Times quoted her appeal as stating. Kochhar urged the top court to intervene in the matter, saying that she, a recipient of "one of the highest civilian