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Chandigarh: CREST project director arrested in ₹83-crore IDFC fraud case
The probe stems from a March 10 complaint filed by the CREST chief executive officer (CEO) regarding financial irregularities in the society’s bank accounts at IDFC First Bank, Sector 32.
In a major development in the ₹83-crore alleged financial fraud involving the Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science & Technology Promotion Society (CREST), the Chandigarh Police have arrested CREST’s project director Sukhwinder Abrol, with investigators pointing to his central role in the diversion of funds through a network of shell companies.
The probe stems from a March 10 complaint filed by the CREST chief executive officer (CEO) regarding financial irregularities in the society’s bank accounts at IDFC First Bank, Sector 32.
Subsequently, a FIR was registered at the Economic Offences police station (EOPS), Sector 17, invoking multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy. The alleged fraud amounts to approximately ₹83.04 crore.
A senior officer with CREST had back then said that while the society had received the funds, it wanted the entire matter to be thoroughly investigated to ensure transparency and rule out any irregularities in the transactions.
But a day later, CREST clarified that it did not hold any fixed deposit with IDFC First Bank and that no financial irregularity had been detected in its accounts.
The Chandigarh administration also constituted a committee to examine whether any procedural lapses occurred in maintaining the accounts. The committee’s findings are awaited.
CREST serves as the nodal agency of the Chandigarh administration for promoting renewable energy and science and technology initiatives in the city, including solar systems and electric vehicles.
Funds funnelled into official’s private accounts through shell companies
According to investigators, Sukhwinder Abrol’s role has emerged as pivotal in the embezzlement. During the course of the probe, police found that funds siphoned off from CREST’s bank accounts, allegedly in collusion with bank officials, were routed to shell companies and subsequently transferred into accounts linked to Abrol, his relatives and close associates.
Officials familiar with the probe said Abrol, as project director, had significant administrative and financial oversight, which allegedly enabled the manipulation and diversion of funds without immediate detection.
His position within CREST is believed to have facilitated coordination with external entities and internal officials.
Following his arrest, Abrol was produced before a duty magistrate, who remanded him to five days of police custody.
Police informed the court that the accused created multiple shell entities to pilfer funds. The embezzled funds were allegedly diverted into real estate investments, with Vikram Wadhwa, a Chandigarh-based realtor, named as a key link facilitating property transactions. To conceal the fraud, the accused allegedly sent forged and manipulated bank statements through official email IDs, masking the actual transactions and delaying detection.
Investigators are examining Abrol’s alleged links with other accused and beneficiaries.
Allegations of payoffs to officials under verification
Earlier, three accused — Ribhav Rishi, Abhay Kumar and Seema Dhiman, all associated with IDFC First Bank, Sector 32 — were arrested in connection with the case. During custodial interrogation, they reportedly disclosed that CREST accounts were opened and operated in connivance with certain officials between 2023 and 2025, targeting funds worth around ₹75 crore.
During interrogation, the accused also claimed that crores of rupees were paid to certain officials, including Nalini Malik, CAO of the Smart City Project; Narender Pal Sharma, chief executive manager with the Smart City Project and Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, and even to Sukhwinder Abrol and his family members.
Police clarified that these claims were based on disclosures by the accused and were being verified as part of the ongoing investigation.
Investigators said the focus now was on establishing the complete cash trail, identifying additional beneficiaries, and examining the role of other CREST and Smart City officials who may have been involved in or aware of the transactions.
