The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Lieutenant Colonel Deepak Kumar Sharma, a Deputy Planning Officer in the International Cooperation and Exports division of the Department of Defence Production under the Ministry of Defence, along with a private individual named Vinod Kumar, in connection with an ongoing bribery case.
The arrests were made on December 20, 2025, following the registration of a case on December 19 based on credible intelligence. The FIR names Lt. Col. Sharma, his wife, Colonel Kajal Bali (Commanding Officer of 16 Infantry Division Ordnance Unit in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan), and others, including representatives of a Dubai-based company involved in defence products manufacturing and exports.
Allegations state that Lt. Col. Sharma habitually engaged in corrupt practices, conspiring with private companies to accept bribes in exchange for undue favours in defence-related dealings. Specifically, Rajiv Yadav and Ravjit Singh, who manage the India operations of the accused Dubai-based firm from Bengaluru, were in regular contact with Sharma to secure illegal advantages from various government departments and ministries.
Vinod Kumar is accused of delivering a Rs 3 lakh bribe to Lt. Col. Sharma on December 18, 2025, on behalf of the company.
Raids were conducted across multiple locations, including Sri Ganganagar, Bengaluru, Jammu, and Delhi. During searches at Sharma’s Delhi residence, the CBI recovered the Rs 3 lakh bribe amount along with an additional Rs 2.23 crore in cash. Another Rs 10 lakh was seized from a premises in Sri Ganganagar linked to the accused. Incriminating documents and materials were also recovered. Searches at Sharma’s office in New Delhi are ongoing.
Both arrested individuals – Lt. Col. Deepak Kumar Sharma and Vinod Kumar – were produced before a court on December 20 and remanded to police custody until December 23, 2025.
The CBI has stated that further investigation is in progress to uncover the full extent of the conspiracy.
