Zero tolerance towards corruption, says Defence Ministry after Lt Col, middleman arrested in bribery case

NEW DLEHI: Amid the arrests of an Army officer and a middleman in an alleged bribery case, the Defence Ministry on Sunday said punitive action has been taken against them under the Government’s policy of “Zero Tolerance Against Corruption.”

A senior Defence Ministry official said, “The present action has been taken under the Government of India’s stated policy of ‘Zero Tolerance Against Corruption’.”

The arrest of the official reflects the government’s proactive approach to curb corruption through legal and institutional frameworks, the statement added.

On Saturday, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Lieutenant Colonel Deepak Kumar Sharma, who was serving as 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 case linked to defence-related clearances and favours.

The arrest was made on December 20, following a case registered on December 19, according to reliable sources.

The Central agency said both the accused allegedly acted as conduits for the delivery of bribes.

Lt Col Sharma has been accused of habitually engaging in corrupt activities, including accepting bribes from private defence companies in return for undue favours.

The CBI alleged that Sharma was in close contact with representatives of a Dubai-based defence company, including Rajiv Yadav and Ravjit Singh, who are reportedly based in Bengaluru and were handling the company’s Indian operations.

The case also names Lt Col Sharma’s wife, Colonel Kajal Bali, who is currently serving as the Commanding Officer of the 16 Infantry Division

Ordnance Unit in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan. In addition to her, the FIR names other unidentified individuals and a Dubai-based company.

According to the CBI, the allegations in the case relate to criminal conspiracy, corruption, and the acceptance of illegal gratification. Investigators alleged that Lt Col Sharma, in connivance with representatives of private defence manufacturing and export companies, accepted bribes in exchange for extending undue favours and facilitating benefits from various government departments and ministries.

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

As per the CBI, on December 18, 2025, Vinod Kumar allegedly delivered a bribe amount of Rs 3 lakh to Lt Col Sharma on behalf of the company.

During searches conducted at multiple locations, the agency seized large amounts of cash. Searches at Sharma’s residence in Delhi resulted in the recovery of Rs 2.23 crore in cash, while Rs 10 lakh was seized from the residence of his wife in Sri Ganganagar.

The CBI carried out searches at several locations across Delhi, Sri Ganganagar, Bengaluru, and Jammu as part of the investigation. Searches at Sharma’s office premises in New Delhi are still underway.

Both accused were produced before a court on Saturday and were remanded to police custody until December 23.

The CBI said that further investigation into the case is ongoing and that additional details are being examined, according to an official press release. (ANI)