Pardeep Kumar, an IAS officer of Haryana cadre, who was suspended in the Rs 590-crore IDFC bank scam, is allegedly ‘on the run' following CBI team said to have visited his residence to arrest him. His phone is also ‘switched off'.
Kumar is a 2011-batch IAS officer, promoted from state civil services. He was posted as director, state transport, and special secretary of the department.
Sources claimed that he has been accused in the Rs 169 crore fraud at the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB), where he served as Member Secretary from August 31, 2022, to December 10, 2025.
The investigating agency had on June 23 had arrested Saurav Sharma, a data entry operator in the pollution control board and the next day, a Panchkula court sent him to CBI custody for four days.
Investigations revealed that the accused allegedly facilitated and assisted in processing investments in favour of private banks in violation of rules, leading to a loss of Rs 169.36 crore to the pollution board.
The accused transferred funds From HSPCB, to Capco Fintech Services, Disha Traders, Mannat Contractor, SRR Planning Gurus Private Limited, Vitamed Solutions and Swastik Desh Projects. These were shell firms floated by the accused persons to siphon off funds.
IAS Vineet Garg also under scanner
Vineet Garg, a 1991 batch, who served as the Chairman of the HSPCB, is also under the scanner.
He is currently posted as an additional chief secretary in the printing and stationery department.
The government had earlier granted permission to investigate him, too, under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Apart from Kumar, two Haryana cadre IAS officers have been arrested so far.
Ram Kumar Singh, a 2012-batch officer promoted from the HCS, was arrested on June 18 in connection with the Rs 79.46 crore being siphoned off from the Panchkula Municipal Corporation account.
The other is Pankaj Aggarwal, who was principal secretary of the school education and agriculture departments when accounts of the Haryana School Shiksha Pariyojana Parishad and the Haryana State Agriculture Marketing Board were opened in violation of finance department guidelines.
Eight IAS officers suspected in bank fraud
Sources said that eight IAS officers are suspected in the IDFC First Bank and AU Small Finance Bank scam.
Out of them, two have been arrested so far, while one is on the run. The rest of the five IAS officers are also facing arrest.
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