CBI arrests Army officer in defence bribery case; crores seized in raids | What is the probe about?

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation arrested Lt Col Deepak Kumar Sharma, Deputy Planning Officer in the Department of Defence Production under the Ministry of Defence, and Vinod Kumar, a private individual, on December 20, 2025. The case was registered a day earlier following specific intelligence inputs.

Allegations levelled by CBI

According to the agency, Lt Col Sharma allegedly acted as a conduit for receiving bribes from private defence companies in return for facilitating undue favours and clearances from government departments. The CBI claims Sharma was habitually involved in corrupt practices linked to defence manufacturing and export approvals.

Role of middlemen and foreign links

Investigators allege Sharma was in contact with representatives of a Dubai-based defence company. Two individuals, Rajiv Yadav and Ravjit Singh, based in Bengaluru and reportedly managing the firm’s Indian operations, are accused of coordinating with Sharma to secure favourable outcomes through illegal gratification.

The CBI said Vinod Kumar delivered a bribe of ₹3 lakh to Sharma on December 18. During searches at Sharma’s Delhi residence, officials recovered ₹2.23 crore in cash, including the alleged bribe amount. An additional ₹10 lakh and incriminating material were seized from premises linked to Vinod Kumar and from a residence in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan.

Other accused named

The FIR also names Sharma’s wife, Col Kajal Bali, who is currently posted as Commanding Officer of the 16 Infantry Division Ordnance Unit in Sri Ganganagar, along with unidentified individuals and the Dubai-based company. The allegations include criminal conspiracy, corruption, and acceptance of illegal gratification.

Searches were conducted in Delhi, Sri Ganganagar, Bengaluru and Jammu, with operations at office premises in New Delhi still underway. Both accused were produced before a court and remanded to police custody until December 23.

What happens next

The CBI said further investigation is ongoing to trace money trails, identify additional beneficiaries, and examine the role of other individuals and entities linked to the alleged defence corruption network.
(With ANI inputs)