The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed chargesheet in the alleged Rs 590-crore IDFC public funds scam in Haryana.
The chargesheet gives a gory detail of how an IAS officer was lured into corrupt practices – from lavish parties and escort services at five-star hotels to ‘mujras' at a private farmhouse, and gold and cash through hawala channels.
According to the chargesheet, Pankaj Agarwal, a 2000 batch IAS officer, who is currently in jail for allegedly playing a key role in the fraud, received all kinds of inducements including ‘mujra' parties and luxury hotel stays to the alleged arrangement of escorts.
The CBI has accused Agarwal of misappropriation of more than Rs 60 crore from the accounts of the Haryana School Shiksha Pariyojana Parishad (HSSPP) and the Haryana State Agriculture Marketing Board (HSAMB, where he was the chairman.
According to chargesheet, IDFC bank official Ribhav Rishi allegedly brought women dancers from Delhi for lavish parties in Chandigarh.
It is also alleged that Rishi arranged mujra parties and arranged women for sexual favours for Agarwal, who was not only influential in Haryana government but also has deep connection with a senior official in Rajasthan administration.
It is alleged that Agarwal was fond of dance parties and foreign dancers who were allegedly brought specially for him to a private villa in Mohali's Zirakpur.
“Money and foreign liquor were obviously major part of illegal gratification, which lured Agarwal into this alleged crime,” said a source in CBI.
According to The Print that broke this story, Vishal Garg, lawyer representing Pankaj Agarwal said,
“These allegations are baseless. No recovery has been made from him, even in the searches that were carried out at his residence. He is innocent.”
The Print also spoke with Deepanshu Bansal, Ribhav Rishi's Advocate, who said that the allegations on face of it are false. “We are not supplied with supplementary report filed against these IAS officials by CBI but the allegations are strongly and categorically denied in their entirety,” he said
Vivek Shukla is a management graduate who has worked in corporate worked for 20 years and is now pursuing his passion — news.
