Haryana bank fraud case: CBI secures two-day custody of suspended IAS officer Pradeep Dagar, arrested on retirement day

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has secured two days’ custody of suspended Haryana IAS officer Pradeep Kumar Dagar in connection with the alleged IDFC First Bank-linked fund diversion case after producing him before a special CBI court in Panchkula late Tuesday night. Officials said the agency is expected to question Dagar extensively as part of its investigation into the alleged financial irregularities.

According to officials, Dagar was arrested after he allegedly remained unavailable for questioning despite repeated notices from the investigating agency. The CBI claimed he had not been cooperating with the probe and was traced after efforts to determine his location. His arrest came on the day of his retirement from government service. He had already been suspended by the Haryana government on April 8, 2026, while serving as Member Secretary of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB).

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Investigators believe Dagar’s custodial interrogation could provide crucial leads on the alleged involvement of other senior officials in the case. Sources said the agency is examining the role of several individuals and expects the questioning to help establish the flow of funds, as well as identify other officials who may have been connected with the alleged fraud.

Dagar is the third IAS officer to be arrested in the case. Earlier, IAS officers R.K. Singh and Pankaj Agarwal were taken into custody during the investigation. Officials said Dagar had also filed an anticipatory bail plea, which is scheduled to be heard by a Panchkula court on July 2, but he was arrested before the matter could come up for hearing.

The CBI investigation has so far revealed suspected irregularities involving nearly Rs 169 crore in accounts linked to the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB). During the probe, a data entry operator allegedly informed investigators that the funds were transferred to an IDFC First Bank branch in Chandigarh’s Sector 32 on the instructions of a senior IAS officer. Dagar served as Member Secretary of the board from August 2022 to December 2025.

The agency has alleged that the diverted funds were subsequently routed through fake fixed deposits and shell companies. The alleged fraud forms part of a larger investigation into the suspected siphoning of nearly Rs 504 crore belonging to eight Haryana government departments through fraudulent banking transactions. The case was transferred to the CBI from the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau following a request from the Haryana government.

Officials said the CBI had obtained the required sanction under the Prevention of Corruption Act before proceeding with the investigation against Dagar. Several government officials and employees have already been questioned, while more individuals are likely to be examined as the probe progresses.

Sources also indicated that former Haryana State Pollution Control Board Chairman Vineet Garg remains under the agency’s scanner and could be questioned during the course of the investigation.

Documents relating to Dagar’s immovable property returns for 2025-26 show that he owns agricultural land in Rohtak and multiple properties in Gurugram, including a luxury apartment jointly owned with his wife. Investigators are expected to examine these assets as part of the financial trail under investigation.

The CBI is investigating on a department-wise basis by examining records, bank transactions and the role of officials in each department separately. Officials said the probe has made significant progress in some departments. Investigations into others are continuing.

During the two-day remand, investigators are expected to focus on identifying additional beneficiaries, tracing the movement of funds and examining the possible involvement of other senior officials in the alleged banking fraud.