Chandigarh/Panchkula: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday filed its third chargesheet in a Panchkula court against 19 accused in a case alleging the misappropriation of ₹504 crore of government funds belonging to multiple Haryana departments.
Who is accused and where the probe points
The chargesheet, produced before a special judge for CBI cases in Panchkula, names a mix of senior bureaucracy, bank personnel and other government officials. According to the agency, the accused include:
- Six IAS officers of the Haryana cadre;
- Three officers of IDFC First Bank;
- One officer of AU Small Finance Bank;
- Nine other Haryana government officials.
The CBI alleges a systematic design in which funds belonging to eight government departments were channelled through specific branches of IDFC First Bank and AU Small Finance Bank, where certain bank officials allegedly opened accounts and facilitated transfers that ultimately enabled the diversion of money to third parties.
Charges and alleged modus operandi
The chargesheet lists a range of offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and related statutes. The CBI has invoked sections pertaining to:
- criminal conspiracy and cheating;
- destruction of evidence and forgery;
- using false documents as genuine and falsification of accounts;
- criminal breach of trust and abetment;
- bribery and criminal misconduct under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
According to the agency's account of its probe, transfers were made from empanelled banks of several state departments into designated branches of IDFC First Bank and AU Small Finance Bank. The CBI says the transactions contravened the finance department's guidelines on prudence and fraud prevention, and that the diverted funds were moved through multiple intermediary accounts before being converted into cash.
Legal trajectory and investigation status
This is the third chargesheet in the matter filed by the agency in Panchkula. The filing before a special CBI court commences the formal adjudication process against the accused, who face criminal and anti-corruption provisions. The presence of senior state officers among the accused elevates the matter to one with administrative and political implications in Haryana.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Amount allegedly misappropriated | ₹504 crore |
| Total accused named | 19 |
| Senior officers implicated | 6 Haryana cadre IAS officers |
| Bank officials implicated | 3 from IDFC First Bank, 1 from AU Small Finance Bank |
Impact on departments and controls
The CBI statement says eight state departments and organisations were affected by the alleged fraud. The agency's findings, as reflected in the chargesheet, point to lapses in adherence to finance department guidelines and weaknesses in internal controls at empanelled banks that handled government receipts and transfers.
Legal proceedings now will focus on establishing the alleged conspiracy, the role of each accused and whether internal procedures were deliberately circumvented. If the allegations are proved, the case could prompt administrative reviews of empanelment and payment procedures across state departments.
What happens next
With the chargesheet admitted by the court, the matter will move to framing of charges and subsequent trial stages unless a court orders otherwise. The accused may face trial on multiple counts, including offences under the BNS and the Prevention of Corruption Act. The special CBI court in Panchkula will set procedural timelines following its initial hearings.
CBI filings name specific bank branches and allege coordinated action between certain government and bank officials; those factual claims will be examined in evidence during trial. The case carries potential disciplinary and criminal consequences for officials if convictions follow.
Further procedural orders and any responses from the accused or their legal representatives are expected to be recorded in court filings in the coming weeks.
