An accused wanted in the Rs 500-crore hawala scam unearthed in Katni district died at Haridwar in Uttar Pradesh, a senior police officer said on Wednesday.

 The police officer said Santosh Garg, who was on the run since the scam came to light, died of an illness in Haridwar.

"Garg's son and police from Haridwar informed the Madhya Pradesh Police about Garg's death. His son said he died due to a liver ailment. He was undergoing treatment at a Haridwar hospital," Katni Superintendent of Police Shashikant Shukla said.

Shukla said the cause of the death would be known once the post-mortem examination report comes in.

The scam had come to light after the November 8 demonetisation. 

The police claimed a bank account opened in the name of Garg's company was misused for transactions involving Rs 90 crore, after which the Income Tax Department issued him a notice. He was missing and on the run since then.

In January, the state Congress had produced a picture allegedly showing another scam accused, Satish Saraogi, standing with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Minister of State Sanjay Pathak at a function.