The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken significant action by arresting Lieutenant Colonel Deepak Kumar Sharma, who has been working in the Department of Defence Production. This move comes in connection with a serious bribery and corruption case involving allegations of illicit financial transactions.
Officials reported that Lt Col Sharma was apprehended for allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹3 lakh from a private firm based in Bengaluru. The case was initiated by the CBI on December 19, 2025, following credible intelligence about his involvement in corrupt practices while serving as the Deputy Planning Officer in the department.
The First Information Report (FIR) filed by the agency also implicates his wife, Colonel Kajal Bali, who is the Commanding Officer of the 16 Infantry Division Ordnance Unit in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan. Other private individuals as well as a Dubai-based company have also been named in connection with the allegations of criminal conspiracy and bribery.
In its official statement, the CBI accused Lt Col Sharma of engaging in a range of corrupt and illegal activities, claiming that he conspired with representatives from private companies involved in defense manufacturing and exports. The agency alleges that he sought undue advantages in exchange for providing illegal favors related to defense procurement and export clearances.
The investigation led to specifics involving a bribe transaction with the Bengaluru firm, allegedly managed by individuals named Rajiv Yadav and Ravjit Singh. According to the CBI, Vinod Kumar, who is associated with the firm, delivered the ₹3 lakh bribe to Lt Col Sharma on December 18, 2025. Vinod Kumar has also been apprehended in the ongoing case.
Further details revealed that the CBI conducted searches at the residences of both Lt Col Sharma and his wife, uncovering a substantial amount of cash totaling ₹2.36 crore. This sum includes ₹2.23 crore found at Sharma’s home in Delhi and an additional ₹10 lakh located at his wife’s residence in Rajasthan.
Both detained individuals, Lt Col Deepak Kumar Sharma and Vinod Kumar, were presented before a Special CBI Court in New Delhi, which has since remanded them into CBI custody until December 23, 2025. The CBI has indicated that the investigation is ongoing and efforts are being directed at uncovering the full breadth of the alleged corruption network, as well as identifying any additional beneficiaries involved in these illicit activities.
