Story perspectives

CBI arrests ammunition deal officials over Rs 500 crore bribes

By Drooid · Oct 16, 2026, 4:29 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

CBI arrests arms execs

CBI arrested Munitions India Ltd director Anil Kumar and SMPP CEO Ashish Kansal for bribery.
The arrests involve a Rs 500 crore ammunition contract to SMPP for supply to Indian Army.
CBI seized Rs 2.23 crore cash from premises in Pune, Mysuru, Bengaluru and Delhi.
A special CBI court remanded Kumar, his brother B Harshavardhan, and Kansal to custody until Oct 19.
The defence ministry suspended Kumar and may ban SMPP from future contracts.

Summary

CBI nabs bribe taker

CBI arrested Deputy Director Harish Kumar Tanwar (SFIO) for demanding a Rs 1 crore bribe.
Gopal Shivram Dalvi complained on Oct 12 2026 that Tanwar and advocate Bharat Sharma demanded the bribe.
Sharma received Rs 20 lakh on Oct 13 2026, prompting the CBI sting and searches that seized DHFL-related material.
The investigation was registered under BNS Section 61(2) and the Prevention of Corruption Act.
A senior IRS officer supervising the probe was questioned, prompting a repatriation process.

History

Historical Context

The 1987 Bofors scandal saw Bofors AB pay roughly Rs 1.3 billion in kickbacks to win a 410-howitzer contract signed on 24 March 1986, contributing to Rajiv Gandhi’s Congress defeat in 1989. In 2024, the CBI seized Rs 2.23 crore and arrested Munitions India Ltd director Anil Kumar and SMPP CEO Ashish Kansal over a Rs 500 crore ammunition deal, reviving concerns about defence procurement corruption.

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CBI arrests arms execs

CBI arrested Munitions India Ltd director Anil Kumar and SMPP CEO Ashish Kansal for bribery.
The arrests involve a Rs 500 crore ammunition contract to SMPP for supply to Indian Army.
CBI seized Rs 2.23 crore cash from premises in Pune, Mysuru, Bengaluru and Delhi.
A special CBI court remanded Kumar, his brother B Harshavardhan, and Kansal to custody until Oct 19.
The defence ministry suspended Kumar and may ban SMPP from future contracts.

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