Haryana govt scam: CBI arrests former accountant of State Pollution Control Board

New Delhi, July 2 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested the then senior accounts officer of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) in connection with the misappropriation of government funds from the Board’s account maintained with the Sector 32, Chandigarh branch of IDFC First Bank.

Parveen Kumar was arrested after the investigation revealed that the bank account used for wrongdoings was opened by him in a clandestine manner, without any record or approval in the department, said the CBI.

He operated the account to facilitate the fraudulent transactions carried out subsequently, said the CBI.

With his arrest, the number of public servants of the Haryana government arrested in the matter so far has risen to four, the CBI said, adding that so far 25 people have been arrested in the case.

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, the CBI said.

Even though the account was opened by Parveen Kumar as signatory, the mobile number of another accused who was not working in the department was registered in the account so as to avoid detection of fraudulent transactions in the account.

Based on the incriminating material gathered during the investigation, his active role came to light, and he was arrested on Thursday. The CBI has already arrested two other officers of the HSPCB so far.

The fraud at HSPCB forms part of a larger scam at the Sector 32 IDFC First Bank branch, in which funds to the tune of Rs 504 crore of eight Haryana government departments were siphoned off through forged/non-existent Fixed Deposits/Debit notes and routed to shell entities, the CBI said.

So far, 17 accused have been charge-sheeted by the CBI in this Haryana case, which includes six bank officials of IDFC First Bank and AU Small Finance Bank, three public servants of the Haryana government, two companies and six private persons.

–IANS

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