CBI arrests Indian Army officer in Defence bribery case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested an Indian Army officer and  a civilian in a corruption case. They were produced in a special court in Delhi on Saturday and were sent to CBI’s custodial remand till 23rd December.

Apart from the bribe money the  CBI has also recovered huge amounts of cash from the houses of accused Lt. Col Deepak Kumar Sharma.

Lt. Col. Deepak Sharma is posted as Deputy Planning Officer (International Cooperation and Exports) in Department of Defence Productions, Ministry of Defence. His wife Kajal Bali is also a serving Colonel of Army. She is posted as Commanding Officer , 16 infantry Division Ordnance Unit (DOU) in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan.

CBI stated that the case has been registered on the basis of reliable source information against Lt. Col. Deepak Kumar Sharma, his wife Col. Kajal Bali and others, including a Dubai based company,  on the allegations of criminal conspiracy and bribery etc.

It is alleged that Lt. Col. Sharma, habitually indulges in corrupt and illegal activities, in criminal conspiracy with representatives of various private companies dealing in defence products manufacturing, export etc., by obtaining undue advantage/bribe from them in exchange of providing undue favours to them, CBI added.

It is further alleged that Rajiv Yadav and Ravjit Singh are looking after lndia operations of the accused company which is based in Dubai. Both  Rajiv Yadav and Ravjit Singh are based in Bengaluru and have been in regular contact with Lt. Col. Deepak  Sharma . It is alleged that they , in connivance with Lt. Col. Sharma, pursue various undue favours by illegal means for their company from various Government Departments and Ministries. One Vinod Kumar delivered a bribe of Rs. 3 lakh, on the behest of the said company, to Lt. Col. Deepak Sharma on December 18.

CBI conducts searches at Sri Ganganagar, Bengaluru, Jammu and other places. During searches at the house of Lt. Col. Deepak Sharma in Delhi, the bribe amount of Rs. 3 Lakh as well as cash amount of Rs. 2,23,000,00 were recovered. Another cash amount of Ten Lakh Rupee was recovered from the house of the accused at Sri Ganganagar, in addition to other incriminating material, has been seized.