Bank of Italy summons Carige's top execs over cash call - source

MILAN (Reuters) - The Bank of Italy has asked to speak to the top executives of Banca Carige (MIL:CRG) after news that the top shareholder in the troubled Italian lender could seek to delay a planned rights issue, a source close to the bank said on Monday.

The Genoa-based bank is aiming to approve the cash call for up to 800 million euros (661.4 million pounds) by the end of March, but the charitable foundation that owns 46 percent of Carige does not have the money to invest in the issue and could have its stake diluted drastically.

"The Bank of Italy has urgently summoned Carige's chairman and chief executive for clarifications," the source said, adding that the meeting is to take place on Tuesday.

Carige declined to comment while the Bank of Italy was not immediately available for a comment.

The steering committee and the board of the Carige foundation are meeting on Monday afternoon to assess their options.

Two sources close to the matter said on Friday that the foundation was considering calling an extraordinary shareholder meeting to push forward the March 31 deadline for the launch of the rights issue.

(Reporting by Andrea Mandala; Additional reporting by Valentina Za; Editing by Paola Arosio and David Goodman)