The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Parveen Kumar, the former Senior Accounts Officer of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB), on Thursday in connection with the Rs 657 crore IDFC First Bank scam. The misappropriation of Rs 169 crore from the HSPCB account at the IDFC First Bank branch in Sector 32, Chandigarh, forms part of this larger fraud.
Secret Account Opened Without Approval
The CBI investigation revealed that Parveen Kumar opened the HSPCB account in a "clandestine manner, without any record or approval in the department." The account was operated to facilitate subsequent fraudulent transactions. "The funds of the Board were misappropriated using cheques/debit notes, and the debited amounts were diverted to shell entities controlled and operated by the accused," said the CBI. The agency added that although Kumar was the signatory, the mobile number of another accused not employed by the department was registered to the account to avoid detection of fraudulent transactions.
Third HSPCB Officer Arrested
Parveen Kumar is the third officer from the HSPCB to be arrested in this case. Earlier, retired IAS officer Pardeep Kumar, who served as Member Secretary of the HSPCB, was arrested on June 30, the day he superannuated. He had been on the run since June 24. The CBI traced him using local sources, technical data, call detail records, and location tracking. Pardeep Kumar was involved in the investment process of the Board's funds. He allegedly personally opened fixed deposit rate quotations from banks, prepared comparative charts, and proposed each investment. He was aware of the Finance Department's circular dated July 12, 2024, which prescribed investment ceilings of Rs 50 crore for newly empanelled banks including IDFC First Bank and Rs 25 crore for small finance banks. According to the CBI, he concentrated funds in IDFC First Bank beyond the Rs 50 crore ceiling, taking exposure well over Rs 100 crore. The limit was removed only on October 9, 2025, after the breaches had already occurred.
The CBI claimed that Pardeep Kumar accepted quotations from IDFC First Bank even when the bank was on the exclusion list and had not been invited. He had himself approved the exclusion of IDFC First Bank from the list of invitees. He also accepted a quotation letter from the bank that bore no stamp, branch name, or name of the signing official, indicating that the competitive process was rigged to favor pre-decided banks. Furthermore, he parked Rs 8 crore of surplus funds in the IDFC First Bank savings account without inviting any quotation, on a mere presumption of the highest rate, showing a sustained pattern of favoritism.
Data Entry Operator Also Arrested
A Data Entry Operator at HSPCB, Saurav Sharma, was arrested on June 23. According to the CBI, he "facilitated and assisted" in processing investments in favor of private banks in contravention of Finance Department instructions. He was aware of the prescribed limits but did not mention them as part of a conspiracy, enabling deposits exceeding Rs 50 crore at IDFC First Bank.
Fraudulent Transactions Total Rs 187 Crore
The CBI probe found that from March 13, 2025, to February 13, 2026, several fraudulent debit transactions siphoned off Rs 187.26 crore from HSPCB's account to various entities, including shell entities floated by the accused. However, credit transactions of Rs 17.90 crore were also recorded, resulting in a net loss of Rs 169.36 crore. The investigation continues as authorities seek to uncover the full extent of the scam and bring all perpetrators to justice.
