NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Lt Col Deepak Kumar Sharma and a civilian, Vinod Kumar, for a bribery and corruption charge associated with the purchase and export of defence supplies.
The case was registered on December 19, on the basis of reliable source information against Lt Col Deepak Kumar Sharma, Deputy Planning Officer (International Cooperation and Exports), Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence; his wife, Col Kajal Bali, Commanding Officer, 16 Infantry Division Ordnance Unit at Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan; and others, including a Dubai-based firm. The charges include criminal conspiracy, bribery, and other forms of corruption.
As per the CBI, Lt Col Sharma is also accused of being involved in habitual corrupt and illegal practices in collaboration with representatives of several private companies involved in the defence manufacturing and export business. Lt Col Sharma is also accused of gaining an undue advantage in favour of these companies in return for offering illegal favours.
The other accusations that are levelled against them are that Rajiv Yadav and Ravjit Singh are managing the Indian operations of the accused firm from Bengaluru and, in frequent contact with Lt Col Sharma, colluded to obtain illegal favours from him. Vinod Kumar is charged with delivering a bribe of Rs 3 lakh to Lt Col Sharma on December 18, on behalf of the company as a part of this conspired plot.
The search operations are being carried out at different places such as Sri Ganganagar, Bengaluru, Jammu, and others. During the search operations at the residence of Lt Col Sharma in Delhi, the CBI seized the bribe amount of Rs 3 lakh, along with other cash amounting to Rs 2.23 crore.