The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed its second chargesheet in the alleged ₹590 crore Haryana government bank fraud, detailing an alleged conspiracy involving bank officials, government employees and private entities.
According to the agency, fake government bank accounts, forged financial documents, manipulated banking credentials and shell companies were allegedly used to divert public funds from several government departments over an extended period.
The latest chargesheet names 15 accused, while investigators say the probe remains ongoing.
Second Chargesheet Filed Before Special Court
According to the CBI, the chargesheet has been filed before the Special CBI Court in Panchkula.
Among those named are:
- Former IDFC First Bank Branch Manager Ribhav Rishi
- Senior Relationship Manager Abhay Kumar
- Bank Authoriser Seema Dhiman
- Government officials
- Directors of private companies allegedly involved in laundering the funds
This is the second chargesheet filed by the agency following its first prosecution in June.
Multiple Government Departments Allegedly Affected
According to the investigation, the alleged fraud impacted several Haryana government departments.
The chargesheet mentions alleged losses including:
- Haryana School Education Project Council – ₹182.9 crore through 101 debit transactions
- Haryana State Pollution Control Board – ₹192.5 crore
- Municipal Corporation, Panchkula – nearly ₹100 crore through 22 transactions
- Panchayat Department (MMGYA 2.0) – approximately ₹89.2 crore
- Haryana Power Generation Corporation Limited (HPGCL) and other government entities
Investigators are continuing to verify the complete financial trail.
Fake Government Bank Accounts Allegedly Opened
The CBI alleges that fake bank accounts were opened in the names of government departments at:
- IDFC First Bank
- AU Small Finance Bank
According to investigators, mandatory KYC procedures and verification requirements were allegedly bypassed.
The accounts were allegedly used to divert government funds without the knowledge of the concerned departments.
Forged Banking Documents Under Investigation
According to the chargesheet, investigators found alleged use of:
- Forged cheques
- Fabricated debit notes
- Fake signatures
- Manipulated banking instruments
The CBI further alleges that:
- Certain payments were processed without valid cheques.
- One cheque was allegedly cleared despite differences between the amount written in words and figures.
Investigators believe these alleged irregularities point towards possible internal collusion.
Contact Details Allegedly Manipulated
The investigation further alleges that the accused changed mobile numbers and email IDs linked to official government bank accounts.
According to the CBI, replacing genuine contact details allegedly prevented departments from receiving:
- Transaction alerts
- Account statements
- Banking notifications
- Security alerts
Investigators believe this delayed detection of the alleged fraudulent withdrawals.
Funds Allegedly Routed Through Shell Companies
According to the chargesheet, after public funds were withdrawn, they were allegedly routed through banks' General Ledger (GL) accounts before being layered through multiple shell companies.
Entities mentioned include:
- Swastik Desh Projects
- SRR Planning Gurus Pvt. Ltd.
Investigators allege these entities were used to disguise the movement of funds before the money reached the alleged beneficiaries.
Foreign Trips Also Under Investigation
The CBI has also made allegations regarding the role of principal accused Ribhav Rishi.
According to investigators, he allegedly sponsored foreign trips for several government officials who have since been named during the investigation.
The agency has already arrested:
- Three IAS officers
- Several Class-II government officials
The investigation continues to determine individual roles and alleged financial benefits.
Digital Evidence Forms Key Part of Investigation
According to the CBI, digital forensic examination of seized:
- Laptops
- Mobile phones
- Hard drives
allegedly recovered deleted:
- Emails
- Financial records
- Transaction details
- Electronic documents
Investigators believe this digital evidence may help establish the sequence of transactions and communications among the accused.
Investigation Continues
The CBI maintains that the alleged fraud could not have been executed without active collusion between certain bank officials, government employees and private individuals.
The agency continues to examine:
- Banking records
- Financial transactions
- Digital evidence
- Corporate entities
- Internal banking procedures
- Additional beneficiaries
Further charges or supplementary investigations have not been ruled out.
Conclusion
The filing of the second chargesheet marks another significant development in the alleged ₹590 crore Haryana government bank fraud.
The allegations remain subject to judicial scrutiny, and the guilt or innocence of all accused persons will ultimately be determined by the competent court based on the evidence presented during trial.
Shunyatax Global Insight
Shunyatax Global says that fraud involving public funds often exploits weaknesses in KYC verification, account opening controls and internal banking approvals. Government departments and financial institutions should implement maker-checker controls, independent account verification, continuous transaction monitoring, multi-factor authentication for account modifications and regular forensic audits to detect suspicious activity before significant public funds are diverted.