The Central Bureau of Investigation on Saturday, 20th December, arrested Lieutenant Colonel Deepak Kumar Sharma, a senior officer posted with the Department of Defence Production under the Ministry of Defence, in a major corruption case.

At the time of his arrest, Lt Col Sharma was working as Deputy Planning Officer for International Cooperation and Exports, a position that involves coordination with foreign entities and defence-related exports. Along with him, a private individual identified as Vinod Kumar was also taken into custody for his alleged role in the case.

The arrests followed the registration of a First Information Report by the CBI on 19th December. The agency said the FIR was filed on the basis of “reliable source information.” The case names several accused, including Lt Col Sharma, his wife Colonel Kajal Bali, and other individuals. Colonel Kajal Bali is currently serving as the Commanding Officer of the 16 Infantry Division Ordnance Unit in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan. The FIR also mentions a Dubai-based company and its representatives. The charges invoked in the case include criminal conspiracy and bribery, pointing to a coordinated effort involving both individuals and corporate entities.

According to the CBI’s findings so far, Lt Col Sharma allegedly developed a consistent pattern of corrupt activities during his tenure. The agency stated that he maintained close links with officials and representatives of private firms engaged in defence manufacturing and exports. It is alleged that he accepted bribes in exchange for extending illegal favours and providing official support, thereby misusing his position within the defence establishment.

Investigators revealed that two individuals, Rajiv Yadav and Ravjit Singh, were handling the Indian operations of the Dubai-based company named in the FIR. They were reportedly in frequent contact with Lt Col Sharma and worked in coordination with him to obtain favours from various government departments through unlawful means. As part of this alleged arrangement, Vinod Kumar is said to have delivered ₹3 lakh in cash to Lt Col Sharma on 18th December, acting on instructions received from the company.

After the arrests, the CBI carried out searches at multiple locations across the country, including Delhi, Sri Ganganagar, Bengaluru, and Jammu. During these raids, the agency recovered the ₹3 lakh allegedly paid as bribe. In addition, cash amounting to ₹2.23 crore was seized from Lt Col Sharma’s residential premises in Delhi, while another ₹10 lakh was recovered from his house in Sri Ganganagar. Officials also seized other materials described as incriminating, which are expected to play a key role in the ongoing investigation.

Both Lt Col Sharma and Vinod Kumar were produced before a court on Saturday, 20th December. The court remanded them to police custody until 23rd December to allow investigators to continue questioning and evidence collection.

The CBI also confirmed that searches at Lt Col Sharma’s official premises in New Delhi are still in progress, indicating that the scope of the investigation remains wide.

The agency stated that further investigation is underway, and it is examining the involvement of other individuals and corporate entities linked to the alleged conspiracy.

Strict Stand Against Corruption in Defence-Related Cases

CBI officials have indicated that cases involving corruption in defence production and exports are treated with the highest level of seriousness because of their direct impact on national security. Investigators are closely analysing financial transactions, communication records, and official documents using detailed forensic methods to uncover the full extent of the alleged wrongdoing.