CBI arrests senior Haryana IAS officer Pankaj Agarwal in multi-crore IDFC First Bank fraud case

The arrest of such a senior officer, who has managed critical departments including elections and finance-related matters, underscores the depth of the ongoing probe into the bank fraud

Newsarc Bureau

Chandigarh: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested 2000-batch IAS officer Pankaj Agarwal in connection with the alleged misappropriation of government funds from accounts of the Haryana School Shiksha Pariyojna Parishad (HSSPP) and the Haryana State Agriculture Marketing Board (HSAMB) maintained at the Sector 32 branch of IDFC First Bank in Chandigarh. Agarwal, who was then Principal Secretary of the School Education and Agriculture departments, was arrested on June 22 and is being produced before a court on Tuesday.

The CBI’s investigation revealed that these accounts were opened in violation of Haryana Finance Department guidelines during his tenure, with funds transferred beyond prescribed limits, resulting in fraudulent transactions and a net loss of Rs 60.54 crore to the state exchequer. This forms part of a larger scam at the bank branch where funds worth hundreds of crores from multiple Haryana government departments were allegedly diverted through shell entities. The agency took over the probe from the state Vigilance Bureau, and 17 accused — including bank officials, government functionaries, companies, and private individuals — have already been chargesheeted.

Profile of Pankaj Agarwal

Pankaj Agarwal (2000-batch, Haryana cadre, is a senior IAS officer who has held several key positions in the state administration. He has long served in important roles, including as Chief Electoral Officer and Commissioner & Secretary to the Government of Haryana, Elections Department, during the BJP regime. He also functioned as Returning Officer in the Rajya Sabha elections, a role that drew political controversy with the opposition Congress accusing him of bias.

In his extensive career, Agarwal served as Principal Secretary to the Government of Haryana in the Architecture Department (his posting till date, from 09/04/2026). Prior to that, he was Principal Secretary, Irrigation & Water Resources Department (24/03/2026 to 09/04/2026), with additional charge as Advisor to the Haryana Saraswati Heritage Board. He also held additional charge as Principal Secretary, Mines & Geology Department from 29/10/2025. Earlier, he was Principal Secretary, Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Department (20/06/2025 to 24/03/2026), and Chairman of the Haryana Board of School Education, Bhiwani, while holding additional charge as Principal Secretary, School Education Department.

He previously served as Commissioner and Secretary in departments such as Social Justice, Empowerment and Welfare of Scheduled Castes & Backward Classes and Antyodaya (SEWA), Food Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, and held multiple additional charges in Personnel, Power, Irrigation, and Administrative Reforms. Agarwal has also been Labour Commissioner, Director General of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Transport Commissioner, and held various field postings as Deputy Commissioner of Sonepat and Kurukshetra, along with sub-divisional and other administrative roles since joining the service.

The arrest of such a senior officer, who has managed critical departments including elections and finance-related matters, underscores the depth of the ongoing probe into the bank fraud. Investigations continue to trace the flow of funds and identify all those involved. This case has already rattled Haryana’s administrative corridors, coming amid transfers and scrutiny of several officers.