CBI Raids Senior Bureaucrats, Private Firm Over Multi-Department Bank Fraud In Haryana And Chandigarh

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) launched a massive crackdown yesterday, conducting searches at six locations across Chandigarh, Panchkula, and the Delhi NCR. The raids are part of an intensifying probe into a high-stakes financial fraud involving the alleged misappropriation of government funds through IDFC First Bank and AU Small Finance Bank.

The investigation revealed sophisticated siphoning scheme that drained public money from eight departments of the Haryana Government and two major departments in the Union Territory of Chandigarh, specifically the Municipal Corporation Chandigarh and CREST (Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science & Technology Promotion Society).

Raids on Public Servants and Private Entities
The search operations targeted the residential premises of senior public servants of the Haryana cadre, whose identities are currently under close scrutiny. Additionally, the CBI raided the offices and residential properties associated with M/S Vipam Consultancy Pvt Ltd and its director.

According to agency sources, these locations were identified during the investigation into irregularities surrounding the receipt and laundering of "proceeds of crime." Investigators spent several hours at these sites, reportedly seizing documents and digital evidence linked to the missing funds.

The probe has revealed a disturbing level of coordination between government officials and banking personnel. Evidence surfaced during the investigation suggests that public servants actively colluded with bank officials to bypass standard protocols.

• Account Manipulation: Officials allegedly facilitated the unauthorized opening of bank accounts to house government grants and revenue.
• Fund Diversion: Once the funds were deposited, they were systematically transferred and diverted into private accounts, including those linked to consultancy firms.
• Systemic Failure: The fraud highlights a significant breach in the oversight of government financial assets across multiple state and UT departments.

The CBI is currently analyzing the seized material to map the exact trail of the diverted money. Investigators believe that the "consultancy" involved may have acted as a front to layer the stolen funds before they were integrated into the private wealth of the accused.

While no formal arrests were announced immediately following the raids, senior officials indicate that custodial interrogations are likely as the agency moves to identify the masterminds behind the multi-departmental heist.

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