Chandigarh, Feb 25 (NationPress) The Director General of the Haryana Anti-Corruption Bureau, Arshinder Singh Chawla, announced on Wednesday that four individuals have been apprehended in connection with the IDFC First Bank fraud case, which involved governmental departments. The funds were allegedly misappropriated and redirected to the Swastik Desh project, a private enterprise linked to some of the accused.

The suspects have been named as Ribhav Rishi, Abhishek Singla, Abhay Kumar, and Swati Singla.

Chawla revealed that a letter was received on February 23, reporting the embezzlement of funds from the Panchayat Department, which led to the registration of a case following directives from the government.

A Special Investigating Team (SIT), led by Ganga Ram Poonia, successfully apprehended the suspects within 24 hours.

IDFC Bank has reportedly repaid the government funds, but the investigation is ongoing, with Chawla noting that Vibhav Rishi and Abhay Kumar were the masterminds behind the fraud.

He assured that the interests of Haryana's citizens are protected.

It was revealed that a total of Rs 300 crore was channeled into the private company, which also included transfers to AU Small Finance.

The misappropriated funds were directed to the Swastik Desh project, owned by Swati Singla and her brother Abhishek Singla, both of whom are currently in custody.

When asked about the potential involvement of senior government officials in the fraud, Chawla stated, “It is premature to comment at this stage of the investigation.”

The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau discovered that multiple government departments are implicated in this case, including accounts associated with the Chandigarh administration.

Reports indicate that the primary suspect, Ribhav Rishi, who hails from Panchkula, had left his banking position six months prior, while Abhay Kumar resigned in August of the previous year.

In a decisive move toward fiscal responsibility and government transparency, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini informed the Assembly on Tuesday that the government has successfully reclaimed Rs 556 crore tied to the fraud case, which includes nearly Rs 22 crore in interest, in just 24 hours.

Chief Minister Saini confirmed that the full amount, related to various government departments, boards, and corporations, has been restored to their respective accounts by IDFC First Bank.

He credited this swift recovery to the cooperative efforts between the Haryana government and senior officials of the bank.

Emphasizing the importance of public trust, Chief Minister Saini highlighted that these funds represent the hard-earned money of 2.8 crore residents of Haryana and will be used exclusively for their benefit.

“Every rupee belonging to the populace will be protected and utilized solely for their welfare,” he asserted.

The Chief Minister also mentioned the formation of a high-level committee, led by the Finance Secretary, tasked with a thorough examination of the situation to establish accountability among the employees and officials involved.

This committee will delineate responsibilities and propose further actions if necessary.

Chief Minister Saini specified that the bank has indicated the irregularities primarily originated from its Chandigarh branch, implicating alleged collusion among middle and lower-level staff. He made it clear that no individuals, whether government officials or bank employees, involved in this case will escape accountability.