₹657 Crore Haryana Bank Scam: CBI Flags 47 Debit Alerts Sent to Co-Accused

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has uncovered critical digital evidence in the ongoing probe into the alleged ₹657 crore Haryana bank fraud, revealing that SMS alerts linked to dozens of suspicious transactions were allegedly diverted to mobile numbers controlled by individuals connected to the accused.

The findings were presented before a court in Panchkula, where two former bank officials were remanded to CBI custody as investigators expand their probe into what appears to be a deeply coordinated banking and financial manipulation network.

Fraud Alerts Routed to Unauthorized Numbers

According to the CBI, 47 suspicious debit transactions worth approximately ₹187.26 crore triggered SMS alerts that were not delivered to authorized government officials. Instead, the alerts allegedly reached mobile numbers linked to co-accused individuals.

Investigators believe this diversion played a crucial role in concealing unauthorized withdrawals from multiple government department accounts.

Bank Officials Under Scrutiny

The court has sent former IDFC First Bank Area Head Shamim Dar and former AU Small Finance Bank Branch Manager Charanjeet Singh Randhawa to three days of CBI custody.

The agency alleges that Dar played a key role in facilitating the opening of several government-linked accounts at a Chandigarh branch by certifying Know Your Customer (KYC) documents and confirming account verification procedures that are now under question.

These certifications, investigators claim, were later exploited to operate accounts using allegedly forged or manipulated banking instruments.

Suspicious Account Activity Across Departments

The investigation has revealed that multiple government accounts, including those belonging to the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB), Haryana School Shiksha Pariyojna Parishad (HSSPP), and Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board (HSAMB), were allegedly misused for fraudulent financial transactions.

One mobile number linked to a co-accused, Abhishek Singla, was reportedly registered across multiple government accounts and used to receive transaction alerts, raising concerns over systemic security failures in account verification processes.

Alleged Fake Vendor Payments and High-Value Transfers

The CBI has also flagged several transactions presented as legitimate payments to vendors or contractors, which investigators now suspect were used to bypass internal financial approvals.

Among the flagged activities is a ₹2.49 crore transaction categorized as a vendor payment and a ₹10 crore withdrawal executed using a cancelled cheque. Officials allege that procedural checks were bypassed or manipulated to enable these transfers.

Shell Company and Large-Scale Fund Diversion

Investigators have identified a firm named M/s Swastik Desh Projects, which is suspected to be a shell entity used for routing fraudulent transactions.

According to the agency, multiple payments from the Panchayat Department account were transferred to this entity, including transactions allegedly linked to former bank officials involved in authorization and verification processes.

The CBI also highlighted a ₹25 crore transaction from the HPGCL Employees’ Pension Fund Trust account that was allegedly diverted to the same entity on December 29, 2025.

Probe Focus: Digital Evidence and Money Trail

The investigation is now centered on analyzing call detail records, banking documentation, KYC verification files, and digital transaction logs to reconstruct the complete flow of funds.

Authorities are also examining whether unauthorized changes were made to registered mobile numbers in government accounts, which may have enabled the concealment of fraudulent activity.

Systemic Lapses Under Review

Officials say the case has raised serious concerns about banking compliance, verification procedures, and oversight mechanisms in handling government-linked accounts.

The CBI is currently working to establish the full extent of involvement of all accused individuals while assessing whether the fraud was part of a larger organized financial network