CBI arrests senior IFOS official in CREST case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Navneet Srivastava, a senior official of the Indian Forest Service (IFoS), in connection with the alleged misappropriation of funds belonging to the Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science & Technology Promotion Society (CREST).

The defendant was the then CEO of CREST. During his tenure, funds parked in three CREST bank accounts maintained at IDFC Bank in Chandigarh were allegedly diverted to various shell companies and transferred for the personal use of beneficiaries, causing a loss of around ₹75 million to CREST.

Part of the proceeds from the alleged criminal activity was also transferred to the account of a private company where his wife and a close relative are directors, the agency said.

The then project director Sukhwinder Singh Abrol and accountant Sahil Kukkar of CREST were earlier arrested in the case and have already been charged. While Mr. Srivastava is in three-day CBI custody, the other two are currently in judicial custody.

The CBI took over the investigation of the case from the Economic Offenses Police Station, Chandigarh and filed charges against five officials of a private bank, two officials of CREST, two shell entities along with their partners/directors and a private individual.

Published – 17 Jun 2026 23:35 IST