CBI Arrests Senior IAS Officer in IDFC First Scam over Rs 60 Crore Embezzlement

NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested senior IAS officer Pankaj Aggarwal for allegedly embezzling Rs 60.54 crore from the accounts of the Haryana School Shiksha Pariyojana Parishad (HSSPP) and the Haryana State Agriculture Marketing Board (HSAMB), officials said on Tuesday.

According to the CBI, Aggarwal, who was serving as the Principal Secretary in the Haryana government’s School Education and Agriculture departments at the time, was arrested on Monday following investigations into alleged financial irregularities involving departmental accounts maintained with IDFC First Bank.

The probe revealed that bank accounts were opened at the Chandigarh Sector 32 branch of IDFC First Bank in violation of Haryana government guidelines. Investigators alleged that funds were subsequently transferred to these accounts in excess of permissible limits. The agency said the fraudulent transactions resulted in the misappropriation of government funds, leading to a net loss of Rs 60.54 crore to the state exchequer. These accounts were opened during the tenure of Pankaj Aggarwal, the then Principal Secretary. An investigation revealed that funds were misappropriated through fraudulent transactions in the accounts of these departments.

The CBI is continuing its investigation to determine the full extent of the alleged fraud and identify any other individuals involved in the case.