The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Lieutenant Colonel Deepak Kumar Sharma on charges of accepting a bribe of Rs 3 lakh from a Bengaluru-based private company, in a case that has sent
shockwaves through the defence establishment. The arrest followed a detailed investigation into alleged corruption linked to defence production and export clearances.
Lt. Col. Sharma was serving in the Department of Defence Production under the Ministry of Defence at the time of the alleged offence. According to CBI officials, the bribe was paid to secure favourable treatment for private companies involved in defence-related business deals. Vinod Kumar, who allegedly delivered the bribe on behalf of the Bengaluru-based firm, has also been arrested in connection with the case.
The agency revealed that it had received specific intelligence inputs regarding bribery involving a Bengaluru company whose operations were reportedly managed by Rajiv Yadav and Ravjit Singh. Investigators claim that Singh was in constant touch with multiple individuals and acted as a channel for conveying illegal payments to officials across various government departments and ministries.
As per the CBI’s findings, Vinod Kumar handed over ₹3 lakh to Lt. Col. Sharma on December 18, acting on instructions from the company. The money was allegedly paid to influence official decisions related to defence production and export permissions. Based on this information, the agency registered a case and carried out coordinated search operations.
During searches at premises linked to Lt. Col. Sharma, the CBI recovered a staggering Rs 2.23 crore in cash. Officials also confirmed the seizure of an additional Rs 10 lakh belonging to Sharma’s wife, Colonel Kajal Bali, who has also been named as an accused in the case. Investigators are now probing the source of the seized cash and examining whether it is linked to other instances of bribery or undisclosed assets.
The arrests mark a significant development in the CBI’s ongoing efforts to crack down on corruption within sensitive sectors such as defence. The agency stated that further investigations are underway to identify additional beneficiaries, trace money trails and determine the full extent of the alleged corruption network.
