The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sought judicial custody of 2000-batch IAS officer Pankaj Agarwal in a Panchkula court on Thursday.
The agency told the court that Agarwal wields considerable influence over key witnesses and subordinate officials connected to the conspiracy. The case involves his alleged role in the misappropriation of ₹504 crore in Haryana government funds across multiple departments at IDFC First Bank’s Sector 32 branch in Chandigarh.
The agency submitted that there was a real and credible apprehension that, if released, he could win over, intimidate, or otherwise improperly influence witnesses.
Agarwal was arrested on June 22 and was sent to two-day CBI custody. According to the CBI, he was serving as the principal secretary of the school education and agriculture departments when accounts for the Haryana School Shiksha Pariyojna Parishad and the Haryana State Agriculture Marketing Board were opened at the bank’s Sector 32 branch in Chandigarh, violating state finance department guidelines.
While seeking his judicial custody, the CBI informed the court that during his two-day police remand, Agarwal remained non-cooperative, withheld material information, and failed to provide any plausible or logical explanation regarding the incriminating material placed before him during interrogation.
The agency also alleged that digital and electronic evidence directly relevant to the criminal conspiracy had been deleted from his mobile devices. Accepting the plea, the court of the special duty magistrate remanded Agarwal to judicial custody at Central Jail, Ambala, till July 4.
During interrogation, he was confronted with various digital and documentary records, including evidence relating to his association with co-accused persons, instructions allegedly issued by him to subordinates regarding the opening of bank accounts, changes made in note sheets to facilitate the opening of an account with IDFC First Bank, and the processing of files connected with the opening of a new account at the bank’s Sector 32 branch.
The CBI also questioned him regarding finance department circulars governing the opening of government bank accounts, meetings held with other accused persons in connection with the accounts, his functioning while heading the Haryana state agricultural marketing board (HSAMB) and Haryana school education department (HSED), messages received on his registered mobile number, a meeting between accused Ribhav Rishi and Rajesh Sangwan, the utilisation of cancelled cheques, and the steps taken by him after learning about the alleged fraudulent transactions.
The agency informed the court that further investigation is underway and that the involvement of other persons, including senior government functionaries, is yet to be ascertained. The agency said the trail of the allegedly misappropriated government funds is also being traced.
