Panchkula | The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a Haryana Pollution Control Board employee in connection with the high-profile alleged ₹60.54 crore financial fraud linked to IDFC First Bank. The accused, identified as Saurabh Sharma, was reportedly working in the accounts section of the department. The arrest marks a significant development in a case that has already led to the detention of a senior IAS officer.
The CBI produced Sharma before a court in Panchkula, which remanded him to four days of police custody. Investigators are now questioning him to determine his alleged role in the financial irregularities, account management, and transfer of funds under scrutiny.
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The case relates to the alleged embezzlement of ₹60.54 crore from accounts maintained by the Haryana School Shiksha Pariyojana Parishad (HSSPP) and the Haryana State Agriculture Marketing Board (HSAMB). During the course of the investigation, the CBI had earlier arrested IAS officer Pankaj Aggarwal after uncovering alleged irregularities in the handling of government funds.
According to investigators, Aggarwal held senior administrative responsibilities in the Education and Agriculture Departments during the period under examination. The probe has alleged that bank accounts were opened at IDFC First Bank’s Sector-32 branch in violation of government guidelines and that funds exceeding prescribed limits were subsequently transferred into those accounts.
The CBI suspects that serious irregularities occurred in financial transactions involving government institutions and that banking procedures may have been misused. As part of the ongoing investigation, authorities are now examining the role of employees and officials associated with various departments and entities connected to the case.
Sources said investigators are conducting a detailed review of account operations, fund flows, approvals, and supporting documentation. The agency is also examining whether established financial control mechanisms were bypassed during the transfer of funds and which individuals may have been aware of the transactions.
The case has raised concerns about transparency, oversight, and financial governance within Haryana’s administrative system. Investigators are working to trace the complete chain of transactions, identify beneficiaries, and determine the ultimate use of the allegedly diverted funds.
The CBI has stated that the investigation remains ongoing and that further action could follow based on evidence collected through questioning and document analysis. Authorities are also exploring whether additional individuals may have played a role in the alleged financial misconduct.
In the next phase of the probe, information obtained from the accused, along with banking records, financial documents, and electronic evidence, is expected to play a crucial role in establishing the full scope of the alleged fraud and the movement of funds involved in the case.
