The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has made significant arrests in a corruption case involving the Ministry of Defence. On Saturday, the agency arrested a serving Lieutenant Colonel and a civilian for their alleged involvement in a bribery scandal. The arrests were followed by coordinated searches at multiple locations across the country.
Key Arrests and Recovered Cash
The arrested officer has been identified as Lt Col Deepak Kumar Sharma, who served as the Deputy Planning Officer in the International Cooperation and Exports wing of the Department of Defence Production. The civilian taken into custody is Vinod Kumar, who is alleged to have acted as a conduit for delivering bribe money.
During searches at Sharma's residence in Delhi, the CBI team made a crucial recovery. They seized an alleged bribe amount of Rs 3 lakh, along with an additional Rs 2.23 lakh in cash. In a parallel action at premises linked to the accused in Sriganganagar, Rajasthan, investigators found and confiscated another Rs 10 lakh in cash. The total cash seizure in the operation thus stands at Rs 15.23 lakh.
Widespread Searches and Case Background
The federal agency conducted simultaneous searches at locations connected to the accused in four cities: Sriganganagar, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Jammu. Apart from the cash, officials also recovered various documents and other incriminating material that are now under scrutiny.
The case was officially registered on Friday based on specific intelligence received by the CBI. The First Information Report (FIR) names Lt Col Sharma, his wife Colonel Kajal Bali—who is the Commanding Officer of the 16 Infantry Division Ordnance Unit in Sriganganagar—and other unknown public servants and civilians. Notably, a Dubai-based company is also mentioned in the FIR.
Alleged Modus Operandi and Network
According to the CBI's statement, Lt Col Sharma is accused of engaging in corrupt practices by colluding with representatives of private defence manufacturing firms to obtain illegal gratification. The agency alleges that Sharma was in regular contact with two Bengaluru-based civilians, Rajiv Yadav and Ravjit Singh, who handle the Indian operations of the implicated company. This network allegedly worked together to secure undue advantages in defence-related matters.
This case highlights ongoing concerns about integrity within defence procurement and export processes. The CBI's action underscores a continued crackdown on corruption in sensitive government departments. The investigation is ongoing, and further developments are expected as the agency examines the seized evidence and questions the accused.
