CBI arrests Munitions India executive director, SMPP CEO in Rs 500 crore defence deal bribery case

New Delhi | Mumbai: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday arrested three people, including Anil Kumar, executive director of state-owned Munitions India Ltd (MIL), and Ashish Kansal, CEO and director-promoter of private defence manufacturer SMPP Ltd, in an alleged bribery case linked to a ₹500 crore ammunition contract.

The agency has booked SMPP in the case, alleging that bribes were paid to an MIL official to secure contracts and obtain access to classified information related to defence production and procurement.

Sources said the CBI has extensively questioned an MIL official and SMPP's top management this week as part of its investigation into alleged corruption in ammunition supplies. According to the FIR registered on October 12, the agency received information alleging that Kumar, while posted as executive director at MIL in Pune, was demanding and accepting illegal gratification from private contractors and vendors in exchange for official favours and access to sensitive information.


The FIR alleged that Kansal was in regular contact with Kumar in connection with a contract awarded to SMPP for supplying ammunition to MIL, valued at ₹500 crore over a one-year period. It also named Ravit Kumar Tewatia, an SMPP employee, alleging that he was in contact with Kumar as part of the purported conspiracy. The agency further alleged that Kumar was expected to receive a substantial bribe from Kansal on October 12.

According to the FIR, Kumar had instructed his brother, B Harshvardhan, to travel to Pune the following morning to collect the alleged proceeds of corruption for safekeeping and concealment. Harshvardhan has also been arrested in the said case The FIR alleged that Kumar routed or parked illicit proceeds through his wife, brother and other relatives to conceal the funds.

SMPP Ltd has been named through its representative, along with unidentified public servants and private individuals. During searches at Kumar's premises in Pune, the CBI recovered ₹1.73 crore in cash. Searches at premises linked to the accused in Mysuru, Bengaluru and Delhi led to the recovery of approximately ₹50 lakh more in cash and incriminating documents, taking the total cash seizure to around ₹2.23 crore.