Suspended IAS officer Pardeep Kumar, who is an accused in the Rs 657 crore bank scam, is allegedly “on the run”, with his phone “switched off".
Kumar, a 2011-batch IAS officer, is facing arrest after the CBI arrested 2012-batch IAS officer Ram Kumar Singh and 2000-batch IAS officer Pankaj Agarwal. Both Singh and Agarwal are in judicial custody.
The officials of IDFC First Bank and AU Small Finance Bank allegedly colluded with Haryana Government officials, including IAS officers, to siphon off funds worth Rs 657 crore from the accounts of eight Haryana departments and two Chandigarh Administration departments. The Enforcement Directorate, which is also investigating the matter, has put the quantum of scam at Rs 645 crore.
Sources in the CBI informed that Kumar had been “missing” from his home, was on the run while his phone was also switched off.
Kumar’s role is related to 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.
He was promoted to IAS from the Haryana Civil Services. He started his career as a City Magistrate in Karnal in 1999.
The CBI had earlier arrested Saurav Sharma, a data entry operator in the pollution control board, on June 23. The next day, a Panchkula court sent him to CBI custody for four days. In conspiracy with the accused bank officials, he 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.
From the account of HSPCB, the funds went to Capco Fintech Services, Disha Traders, Mannat Contractor, SRR Planning Gurus Pvt Ltd, Vitamed Solutions and Swastik Desh Projects.
Of this, over Rs 70 crore went to Swastik Desh Projects, and over Rs 53 crore to Capcp Fintech Services. These were shell firms floated by the accused persons to siphon off funds. Another IAS officer, Vineet Garg, who served as the Chairman of the HSPCB, is also under the scanner. The government had earlier granted permission to investigate him, too, under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Pardeep Kumar was suspended on April 8, along with Ram Kumar Singh.
It is pertinent to mention here that eight IAS officers are under scanner 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.
