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The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday arrested Lt Col Deepak Kumar Sharma, a Deputy Planning Officer in the Department of Defence Productions, Ministry of Defence, and Vinod Kumar, a private individual, in an alleged bribery and criminal conspiracy case involving defence-related clearances and favours.
The arrest was made on December 20, 2025, following a case registered on December 19, 2025, according to reliable sources. Both the accused allegedly acted as a conduit for bribe delivery. Sharma is accused of habitually engaging in corrupt activities, including accepting bribes from private defence companies in exchange for undue favours, according to CBI. The CBI alleged that Sharma was in cahoots with representatives of a Dubai-based company, including Rajiv Yadav and Ravjit Singh, who are based in Bengaluru. According to the CBI, the case also names Lt Col Sharma's wife, Col Kajal Bali, who is currently serving as Commanding Officer of the 16 Infantry Division Ordnance Unit at Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan, along with other unidentified individuals and a Dubai-based company. The allegations pertain to criminal conspiracy, corruption, and acceptance of illegal gratification. Investigators allege that Lt Col Sharma was habitually involved in corrupt practices and, in connivance with representatives of private defence manufacturing and export companies, accepted bribes in exchange for extending undue favours and facilitating benefits from various government departments and ministries. The agency further claimed that two individuals, Rajiv Yadav and Ravjit Singh, who are said to be handling the Indian operations of the accused foreign-based company from Bengaluru, were in regular contact with Lt Col Sharma. They allegedly coordinated with him to secure favourable outcomes for their company through illegal means. As per the CBI, on December 18, 2025, Vinod Kumar delivered a bribe of Rs. 3 lakh to Sharma on behalf of the company. Searches at Sharma's Delhi residence and his wife's residence in Sri Ganganagar yielded significant cash seizures, including Rs. 2.23 crore and Rs. 10 lakh, respectively. The agency carried out searches at multiple locations, including Delhi, Sri Ganganagar, Bengaluru, and Jammu. Searches at his office premises in New Delhi are still underway. Both accused were produced before a court on Saturday and remanded to police custody until December 23. Further investigation in the case is continuing, the CBI informed through a press release. (ANI)
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