A Colonel-rank officer posted with the Army Ordnance Corps under the Eastern Command in Kolkata has been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with an alleged Rs 50 lakh bribery case, officials said on Tuesday.
The officer, identified as Colonel Himanshu Bali, is accused of favouring a Kanpur-based company by allegedly manipulating the award of tenders, approving substandard samples, and facilitating clearance of pending and inflated bills.
According to the FIR registered by CBI, directors of the firm, Eastern Global Limited, allegedly paid bribes to secure Army tenders. The central agency claims that a major tender was awarded to the company earlier this year in return for bribes.
The investigation has allegedly revealed that Colonel Bali met the firm’s representatives in Kolkata’s Park Street area on April 22. Two days later, on April 24, the said tender was awarded to the company, per the agency.
On May 16, Colonel Bali allegedly demanded the remaining bribe amount of Rs 50 lakh, the CBI said. The money was to be routed through hawala channels, it alleged.
The colonel was arrested after the investigation agency registered a case against him and the private contractor in the alleged bribery case, officials said. Several others, including unknown persons, have also been named in the case as accused.
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(With inputs from PTI)
Published On:
May 20, 2026 00:16 IST
