IDFC Bank Scam: CBI Arrests Haryana IAS Pardeep Kumar On Retirement Day; What Was His Role In Rs 169 Crore Swindle?

Jagran correspondent, Panchkula | In a major action in Haryana's bank scam, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested IAS officer Pradeep Kumar on the day of his retirement. He was serving as Member Secretary of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB).

What Are The Allegations Against Pradeep Kumar?

A CBI investigation has revealed that Kumar was directly involved in the embezzlement of approximately Rs 169 crore from the Haryana State Pollution Control Board's government account. According to the investigating agency, he was handling all the investment and fixed deposit (FD) related work on his own.

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The investigation further found that the board's funds were transferred to the IDFC First Bank branch in Sector 32, Chandigarh, in excess of the prescribed limit. The money was initially transferred to a bank account under the guise of creating a fixed deposit, but surprisingly, the department could not provide any government records or approvals related to the opening of that account.

According to the CBI, the account was opened without any approval, and instead of creating a fixed deposit, government funds were withdrawn from the account through fraudulent debit transactions. This resulted in a loss of approximately Rs 169 crore to the Haryana government, which is said to be the largest financial loss suffered by any single government department in this entire scam.

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The CBI said Kumar had been uncooperative with the investigation for a long time and, despite repeated summons, had been avoiding participation. After tracing his location, the CBI arrested him.

Rs 504 Crore Scam Linked To IDFC First Bank

The case was transferred to the CBI from the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau at the request of the Haryana government. According to the investigation, approximately Rs 504 crore belonging to eight Haryana government departments was embezzled through the Sector 32 branch of IDFC First Bank through fake or non-existent fixed deposits and fraudulent bank transactions.

So far, the CBI has filed chargesheets against 17 accused in this case. These include six bank officials from IDFC First Bank and AU Small Finance Bank, three Haryana government officials, two companies, and six private individuals. Prior to Kumar's arrest, the CBI had already arrested two senior officials in the case.

The CBI has also taken up the investigation of two cases related to the bank scam, involving Chandigarh Smart City Limited (CSCL) and CREST. Chargesheets have been filed in both cases, and action is ongoing against several bank officials, government officials, private individuals, and companies.

The CBI said legal action will continue by reaching all the accused involved in the misappropriation of government funds, tracing the entire money trail, and identifying the assets acquired through crime.

(With Jagran.com Inputs)