Delhi court rejects bail plea of Army officer in corruption case

A Delhi court has dismissed the bail plea of an Army officer, arrested in a corruption case in December last year, noting that he held a crucial post for performing tasks closely linked to the country’s security, integrity and sovereignty.

Special Judge Gagandeep Singh was hearing the bail plea of Lt Col. Deepak Kumar Sharma, who was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 3 lakh from a Dubai-based company.

In an order dated January 23, the court took note of the prosecution’s allegations that Sharma “was occupying a crucial post as the deputy planning officer (international cooperation and exports) in the Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence, and thus, was performing crucial tasks assigned to him”.

Underlining that the tasks assigned to Sharma “were closely linked to the security, integrity and sovereignty of the nation”, the court said the allegations against him were “quite serious”.

“In the said backdrop, the possibility of the accused or applicant influencing the investigation or the witnesses, including his seniors or colleagues, also cannot be ruled out at this stage, when the investigation of the case is at a nascent stage,” the court said, dismissing his bail plea.

The CBI had registered the case against Sharma and his wife, Col. Kajal Bali, CO, 16 Infantry Division Ordnance Unit (DOU), Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan. It was alleged that Sharma “habitually indulges in corrupt and illegal activities” in criminal conspiracies with the representatives of various private companies dealing in defence products manufacturing, export etc. Sharma obtained bribes from companies in exchange for providing undue favours to them, the federal agency has alleged.

It has said that inputs were received about a possible bribe payment from a Dubai-based company — M/s DP World — whose India operations were being managed from Bengaluru by Rajiv Yadav and Ravjit Singh.

The CBI has alleged that the duo were in regular contact with Sharma and that, in furtherance of a conspiracy, had sought assistance from the accused for obtaining undue favours from various Government departments.

In its reply filed before the court, the CBI has claimed that Sharma “entered into a criminal conspiracy with representatives of private companies dealing in defence manufacturing, logistics and export by abusing his official position to extend undue favours in exchange for illegal gratification”.

Trashing Sharma’s arguments that he had no role in the approvals of the company’s consignments, the court said it appeared against the evidence on record.

“The various applications for judicial remand, as well as the case diaries, reflect that the accused or applicant was very much involved in obtaining the approvals qua the transportation of defence export goods of M/s D P World to Armenia.

“He was the person concerned who used to have the coordination with other authorities, that is, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), in this regard. The said evidence is still being scrutinised and the investigation is at a nascent stage,” the court said.

During the proceedings, CBI’s prosecutor said the FIR was registered based on information from a source, and pursuant to the said inputs, the premises of the accused were searched on December 18, 2025, which led to the recovery of the delivered bribe amount of Rs 3 lakh.

“Apart from that, unaccounted cash amounting to Rs 2,23,74,550 (over 2.23 crore), along with other foreign currency and electronic items, was also recovered. Further, a cash amount of Rs 10 lakh was recovered from the residential premises of Kajal Bali, wife of the accused,” the prosecutor said.