Kanpur | The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has intensified its probe into a serious case involving the alleged supply of substandard materials to the Indian Army and manipulation of the tender process. The agency is closely examining the operations of Eastern Global Limited, based in the Ruma area of Kanpur, where major discrepancies in manufacturing claims and actual functioning have raised serious concerns.
Investigators are particularly focused on the stark mismatch between the company’s claimed scale of operations and its actual workforce. While the firm reportedly claims to manufacture 78 different types of products, records indicate that it has only 27 employees. This discrepancy has led investigators to suspect whether the company was genuinely manufacturing goods or merely acting as a trading entity while presenting itself as a manufacturer.
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The CBI is also probing whether the company procured finished goods from other manufacturers and supplied them to the Army under its own branding. Preliminary inputs suggest possible violations in quality assurance procedures and tender approval processes, which may have enabled the supply of substandard materials.
Experts note that defence procurement follows strict protocols, including mandatory sample testing, technical evaluation, and quality certification before any supplier is approved. Any deviation from these procedures raises serious concerns, especially when it involves military supply chains.
According to official details, the CBI registered an FIR on May 18 against six individuals, including Colonel Himanshu Bali. The allegations suggest that he, in collusion with private company operators, manipulated the tender process and cleared substandard goods for supply to the Army.
Following the FIR, the CBI conducted raids on May 17 and May 20 at multiple locations in Kanpur, including the company’s factory in Ruma and a defence-related residential premises on Kariappa Marg in the cantonment area. During these searches, several crucial documents were seized, and relatives of the company’s promoters were also questioned.
The agency has detained two individuals for interrogation while continuing to examine financial transactions and billing records linked to the supplies. Investigators are trying to determine at what stage irregular payments and approvals were made and whether there was systematic manipulation of procurement records.
The probe has also brought attention to alleged links between the company and a retired Army officer. Officials are examining whether any influence was exerted during the tender approval or quality certification stages to facilitate the contract.
A major development in the case is the allegation that Colonel Himanshu Bali received bribes worth around ₹50 lakh in exchange for approving substandard materials and expediting payments. This allegation has become a key focus of the investigation.
Following the raids, company promoters Akshat Agrawal and his father Mayank Agrawal have gone missing, according to officials. The CBI is actively searching for them and has also named Delhi-based associate Ashutosh Shukla and Nitesh Pal in the FIR.
The CBI is now mapping the complete financial trail to determine whether the case is limited to tender manipulation or part of a larger organised racket involving multiple stakeholders. Officials believe that further investigation may reveal deeper layers of corruption within the procurement ecosystem.
