The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Colonel Himanshu Bali, a Colonel-rank officer posted with the Army Ordnance Corps under the Eastern Command at Fort William, Kolkata, in connection with an alleged ₹50 lakh bribery case involving the manipulation of defence tenders.
According to the First Information Report (FIR) registered by the CBI on May 18, 2026, Colonel Bali is accused of extending undue favours to a Kanpur-based defence supplier, M/s Eastern Global Limited, in exchange for bribes. The allegations include manipulating the award of tenders, approving substandard samples, and facilitating the clearance of pending and inflated bills.
Accused Persons
The CBI has registered a regular case against six individuals, including:
- Colonel Himanshu Bali, Army Ordnance Corps, Eastern Command, Kolkata
- Shri Akshat Agrawal, operator of M/s Eastern Global Limited, Kanpur
- Shri Mayank Agrawal, father of Akshat Agrawal and resident of Kanpur
- Shri Ashutosh Shukla, Delhi-based associate and driver of Akshat Agrawal
- Shri Naresh Pal, resident of Delhi (alleged middleman)
- Other unknown defence officials and private individuals
The case has been registered under provisions of criminal conspiracy and Sections 7, 8, 9, and 10 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018). The investigation is being supervised by Deputy Superintendent of Police Sunil Kumar of the CBI’s Anti-Corruption Branch-II, New Delhi.
Sequence of Events
Investigations reveal that Akshat Agrawal and Mayank Agrawal allegedly maintained regular contact with Colonel Bali to secure undue favours for their firm through illegal means, in connivance with other unknown officials. Multiple tenders were allegedly awarded to the firm by the Eastern Command in exchange for substantial bribes.
Key developments in the case include:
- On April 22, 2026, Colonel Bali and Akshat Agrawal allegedly met personally outside official working hours at Park Street, Kolkata, to discuss tender-related matters.
- On April 24, 2026, a major tender was awarded to M/s Eastern Global Limited, allegedly due to undue favour extended by Colonel Bali.
- On May 16, 2026, Colonel Bali contacted Akshat Agrawal to demand the pending bribe amount of ₹50 lakh and directed that the payment be made in the Delhi-NCR region. When Akshat Agrawal cited cash constraints, Colonel Bali reportedly contacted Ashutosh Shukla to ensure delivery of the bribe to Naresh Pal.
- Arrangements were subsequently made to route approximately ₹50 lakh through hawala channels, with the amount to be collected from Chandni Chowk in Delhi and delivered to the middleman in Delhi-NCR.
Arrest and Current Status
Colonel Himanshu Bali was arrested by the CBI on May 19, 2026, in Kolkata. He has been taken into custody under the Prevention of Corruption Act and is being brought to Delhi for further interrogation. The CBI is continuing its investigation to identify any other officials who may have been involved in the alleged procurement irregularities.
M/s Eastern Global Limited is described as a long-term supplier of various items to defence establishments across the country. The agency has stated that the alleged actions constitute serious cognizable offences.
The Indian Army has not issued any official statement on the matter so far.
The CBI has indicated that further investigation is underway to uncover the full extent of the alleged conspiracy and any additional beneficiaries.
