New Delhi: A senior Army officer was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on charges of corruption.
Lieutenant Colonel Deepak Kumar Sharma and a private person, named Vinod Kumar, were arrested after searches were carried out in New Delhi, Bengaluru, Sri Ganganagar and Jammu.
The searches led to the seizure of Rs 2.23 crore and Rs 3 lakh in two separate locations, as reported by timesnow.in.
“During searches at the house of Lt. Col. Deepak Kumar Sharma in Delhi, the bribe amount of Rs 3 Lakh as well as cash amount of Rs 2.23 crore and also a cash amount of Rs 10 lakh from the house of an accused in Sri Ganganagar were recovered, in addition to other incriminating material,” the CBI said in a statement.
“Searches in the office premises of Lt. Col. Deepak Kunar Sharma in New Delhi were still continuing,” the statement added.
According to the agency, a criminal case was registered on source based information. This case was registered under sections of criminal conspiracy and bribery against Lt Col Sharma, who was posted as deputy planning officer, International Cooperation and Exports in the Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence and his wife Colonel Kajal Bali, CO, 16 Infantry Division Ordinance Unit at Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan.
Others who have been named in the FIR include a Dubai based company.
It is alleged that Lt. Col Sharma, habitually indulged in corrupt and illegal activities, in criminal conspiracy with representatives of various private companies dealing in defence products manufacturing, export etc. The accused used to take undue advantage like bribe in exchange of providing undue favours to them, CBI said in a statement.
The probe agency said it has found two individuals – Rajiv Yadav and Ravjit Singh – who are looking after lndia operations of the accused’s company and based in Bangalore.
“Both have been in regular contact with Lt. Col. Deepak Kumar Sharma and are, in connivance with him, pursuing various undue favours by illegal means for their company from various government departments and ministries,” claimed CBI.
“On December 18, an individual named Vinod Kumar delivered a bribe of Rs 3 lakh, on the behest of the said company, to Lt Col Sharma,” officials said.
After busting the bribery racket in Ministry of Defence, the CBI carried out raids at multiple locations in Rajasthan’s Sri Ganganagar, Karnataka’s Bengaluru, Jammu and Delhi.
Both the accused, Lt Col Sharma and Vinod Kumar, were produced in the court on Saturday and will be in police remand till December 23.
