CBI Alleges IAS Officer Orchestrated Rs 169 Crore HSPCB Fraud
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has accused retired Haryana IAS officer Pardeep Kumar of playing a central role in the alleged siphoning of Rs 169 crore from the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB). According to the agency, WhatsApp chats indicate that investment-related decisions were discussed and coordinated outside official channels.
Kumar, who served as Member Secretary of the HSPCB, was arrested on June 30. A Panchkula court subsequently remanded him to two days of CBI custody.
How the Alleged Scam Unfolded
The CBI stated that Kumar personally handled the process of investing the Board's surplus funds. He allegedly opened fixed deposit (FD) rate quotations from various banks, compared them, prepared comparative statements in his own notes, and recommended each investment.
The agency told the court that Kumar was fully aware of the Haryana Finance Department's circular dated July 12, 2024, which capped investments at Rs 50 crore in newly empanelled banks, including IDFC First Bank, and Rs 25 crore in Small Finance Banks. The CBI said Kumar repeatedly referred to these limits in his official file notings but knowingly violated them by directing investments into IDFC First Bank as part of the alleged conspiracy.
Violation of Investment Caps
Investigators further alleged that Kumar continued concentrating HSPCB funds in IDFC First Bank beyond the prescribed Rs 50-crore ceiling, eventually taking the exposure well past Rs 100 crore. The CBI pointed out that the investment cap was removed only on October 9, 2025 — well after the alleged violations had taken place.
The agency also claimed that Kumar parked Rs 8 crore of surplus funds in an IDFC First Bank savings account without inviting quotations from other banks, allegedly assuming it offered the highest interest rate. According to the CBI, this reflected a sustained pattern of favouring the bank.
Arrest and Custodial Interrogation
The CBI informed the court that Kumar had joined the investigation on June 24 but left the agency's camp office later that evening. Thereafter, his mobile phone was found switched off and he did not rejoin the probe. He was detained at the Narwana Toll Plaza at 2.50 pm on June 30, brought to the CBI office in Chandigarh and formally arrested at 6.25 pm.
The agency further alleged that Kumar had received illegal gratification in return for his role in the conspiracy. Seeking custodial interrogation, the CBI told the court that Kumar needed to be confronted with “WhatsApp/chat material indicating that investment matters were discussed and coordinated outside official channels”. It further stated, “The proceeds of crime, including the properties acquired and the gold purchased out of the siphoned funds, are required to be identified and recovered.”
Defense Arguments
Opposing the CBI's plea, defence counsel Digvijay Singh and Parvez Chaudhary argued that the prosecution's case was entirely documentary, based on official records, bank documents, file notings and departmental communications that were already in the agency's possession. They maintained that the allegations were baseless and submitted that no purpose would be served by custodial interrogation since nothing further remained to be recovered from the accused.
