CBI arrests Defence Ministry officer, aide in bribery case, Rs 2.33 crore seized

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday arrested Lt Col Deepak Kumar Sharma , a Deputy Planning Officer in the Department of Defence Production under the Ministry of Defence, and Vinod Kumar , a private individual, in connection with an alleged bribery and criminal conspiracy involving defence-related clearances and favours.

The arrests were made on December 20, 2025 , a day after the CBI registered a case on December 19 , based on inputs indicating corrupt practices within the defence procurement and production framework, official sources said.

According to the CBI, both accused acted as conduits for the delivery of bribe money. Sharma is alleged to have habitually engaged in corrupt activities, accepting illegal gratification from private defence companies in exchange for extending undue official favours. The agency claims that he was working in close coordination with representatives of a Dubai-based company, including Rajiv Yadav and Ravjit Singh , who are said to be operating from Bengaluru.

Investigators allege that the bribery involved cash payments routed through intermediaries to influence decisions linked to defence production, approvals, and related government clearances. Vinod Kumar allegedly delivered a bribe of Rs. 3 lakh to Lt Col Sharma on December 18, 2025, on behalf of the foreign-based company, shortly before the registration of the FIR.

Search operations conducted at multiple locations uncovered substantial cash, raising suspicions of proceeds of corruption. The CBI said it recovered Rs. 2.23 crore from Sharma’s residence in Delhi and Rs. 10 lakh from the residence of his wife, Col Kajal Bali, in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan. Col Bali, who is currently serving as the Commanding Officer of the 16 Infantry Division Ordnance Unit, has also been named in the FIR along with other unidentified individuals and the Dubai-based firm. The agency has clarified that the seized cash is under examination to ascertain its linkage with the alleged conspiracy.

While the CBI has not disclosed specific defence contracts or files linked to the case, it has alleged that Sharma misused his official position to facilitate benefits for private defence manufacturing and export companies. These benefits are believed to include favourable treatment in matters related to planning, coordination, and procedural clearances involving the Department of Defence Production and other ministries.

The agency further stated that Rajiv Yadav and Ravjit Singh were in regular contact with Sharma and allegedly coordinated efforts to secure favourable outcomes for their company through illegal means.

Searches were carried out across Delhi, Sri Ganganagar, Bengaluru, and Jammu, with operations at Sharma’s office premises in New Delhi continuing. Both accused were produced before a court on Saturday and remanded to CBI custody until December 23. Further investigation into the alleged conspiracy and the role of other individuals is ongoing, the agency said in a press release.