CHANDIGARH – In a significant escalation of an ongoing probe into large-scale financial irregularities, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested senior Haryana-cadre IAS officer Pankaj Aggarwal. The arrest pertains to the alleged embezzlement of Rs 60.54 crore in government funds, a case that investigators believe is part of a much wider financial fraud estimated at Rs 504 crore.
Aggarwal, who served as the Principal Secretary for the School Education and Agriculture departments, was taken into custody following mounting evidence gathered by the central agency. He was produced before a court on Tuesday, where the CBI sought his remand to further probe his role in the systematic diversion of public money.
Violation of Financial Protocols
The investigation centres on the unauthorized opening of bank accounts for the Haryana School Shiksha Pariyojana Parishad (HSSPP) and the Haryana State Agriculture Marketing Board (HSAMB) at the IDFC First Bank branch in Sector 32, Chandigarh.
According to the CBI, these accounts were opened in direct contravention of established Finance Department guidelines. Once established, government funds were allegedly transferred into these accounts far beyond prescribed limits, after which approximately Rs 60.54 crore was siphoned off through a web of fraudulent financial transactions.
A Wider Web of Fraud
The arrest of the senior bureaucrat is viewed as a major breakthrough in a probe that spans multiple government departments. The CBI alleges that this case is merely one component of a Rs 504 crore scam, involving the systematic looting of public funds across eight different Haryana government departments.
The funds were reportedly laundered using shell companies and complex, multi-channel financial routes designed to evade detection.
Scope of the Investigation
The CBI’s dragnet has already resulted in the filing of chargesheets against 17 individuals, including:
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Six bank officials
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Three Haryana government employees
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Two corporate entities
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Six private individuals
This is the second instance of a senior IAS officer being apprehended in connection with such financial crimes in the state, following the earlier arrest of IAS officer R.K. Singh regarding embezzlement within the Panchkula Municipal Corporation.
Parallel investigations are currently underway concerning the Chandigarh Administration, specifically regarding financial irregularities within Chandigarh Smart City Limited (CSCL) and the Centre for Research and Industrial Staff Performance (CREST). A senior Indian Forest Service (IFoS) officer has also been arrested in connection with the CREST investigation.
As the CBI continues to unravel the network of corruption, the agency has stated that it remains committed to holding all involved parties—regardless of their rank or position—accountable under the law.
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