Key Points:
- CBI nabs Lt Col Deepak Kumar Sharma from Ministry of Defence in bribery trap
- ₹2.23 crore cash seized from Delhi home, plus ₹3 lakh bribe money
- Wife Colonel Kajal Bali implicated, ₹10 lakh recovered from Sri Ganganagar residence
- Alleged criminal conspiracy with Bengaluru-based defence manufacturing companies
- Middleman Vinod Kumar arrested for delivering bribe on December 18
- Court grants CBI custody until December 23 for further investigation
In a stunning blow to the integrity of India’s defence establishment, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Lieutenant Colonel Deepak Kumar Sharma, a key officer posted in the Department of Defence Production under the Ministry of Defence, on Saturday, December 20, 2025. The arrest followed a meticulously planned operation that uncovered what appears to be a deeply entrenched corruption syndicate operating within the sensitive defence procurement ecosystem.
The Trap and the Seizure
Acting on specific intelligence inputs, CBI officials laid an elaborate trap after receiving information about a scheduled bribe payment. The agency had been monitoring Sharma’s activities for several weeks, following a tip-off about his alleged corrupt dealings with private defence contractors. On Thursday, December 18, middleman Vinod Kumar was caught delivering ₹3 lakh in cash to Sharma at a predetermined location in Delhi, triggering immediate action.
The subsequent raid on Sharma’s official residence in Delhi’s Defence Colony area yielded a staggering ₹2.23 crore in cash, carefully concealed in multiple locations throughout the house. The sheer volume of currency notes, primarily in denominations of ₹500 and ₹2,000, necessitated the use of counting machines and additional personnel by CBI officials. “The cash was found in suitcases, false ceilings, and even inside furniture,” revealed a senior CBI official who requested anonymity. “It took our team over eight hours to complete the counting process.”
The Wife’s Involvement
The investigation took a dramatic turn when evidence emerged implicating Sharma’s wife, Colonel Kajal Bali, who serves as the Commanding Officer of the 16 Infantry Division Ordnance Unit (DOU) in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan. A simultaneous raid on her official residence in Rajasthan recovered an additional ₹10 lakh in cash, along with several incriminating documents.
Colonel Bali, who was commissioned into the Indian Army in 2012, had been posted to Sri Ganganagar six months ago. The CBI is now investigating whether she used her position to facilitate her husband’s alleged corrupt activities or operated as an independent node in the syndicate. “We are examining her financial transactions, property records, and bank accounts to establish the money trail,” the CBI spokesperson stated.
The Defence Production Nexus
According to CBI sources, Lieutenant Colonel Sharma exploited his position as a Deputy Director in the Department of Defence Production, where he handled files related to quality certification and export clearances for private defence manufacturers. His role gave him significant leverage over companies seeking government approvals for manufacturing and exporting defence equipment.
The investigation has identified at least three private companies, including a Bengaluru-based defence electronics manufacturer, that allegedly paid regular bribes to Sharma. Company representatives Rajiv Yadav and Ravjeet Singh have been named as key facilitators who maintained regular contact with the officer. “Sharma was running a well-organised extortion racket,” the CBI spokesperson alleged. “He would demand bribes for expediting files, providing favourable inspection reports, and clearing export licenses.”
The Syndicate’s Operations
Preliminary investigation suggests the syndicate had been operational for at least two years, with Sharma allegedly receiving monthly payments ranging from ₹2 lakh to ₹5 lakh from different companies. The CBI is now working to trace the entire network, including other potential middlemen, corrupt officials in allied departments, and the ultimate beneficiaries of the illegal favours.
Vinod Kumar, the 45-year-old middleman arrested for delivering the bribe, reportedly confessed during interrogation that he had been acting as a conduit between
