CBI Detains DGCA Official and Corporate Executive Over Bribery Case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has detained a senior official from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) along with a corporate executive in a bribery scandal linked to the approval process for drone imports. The arrests were made on 18 April 2026, following accusations that the DGCA official solicited bribes in return for expediting applications from a private aerospace company.

The individuals apprehended are Mudavath Devula, serving as the Deputy Director General at the Airworthiness Directorate of the DGCA, and Bharat Mathur, who holds the position of Senior Vice President at both Reliance Industries Limited and Asteria Aerospace Limited, a firm involved in drone manufacturing.

In a series of operations carried out on Saturday, the CBI arrested the two accused and succeeded in recovering the full amount of Rs 2.5 lakh, the sum allegedly demanded as a bribe. A formal statement from the CBI confirmed, "The CBI arrested the Deputy Director General at the Airworthiness Directorate, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Headquarters, New Delhi, along with a representative of a private company in a bribery case of Rs. 2.5 lakh resulting in the seizure of the entire amount."

In addition, the investigation led to raids at four locations across Delhi associated with the accused individuals. These searches resulted in the confiscation of Rs 37 lakh in cash, alongside gold and silver coins, and numerous digital devices.

The CBI has announced that further inquiries into the matter are ongoing as they seek to gather more evidence against the parties involved. This incident underscores the challenges in combating corruption within regulatory bodies that oversee crucial sectors such as aviation. Details regarding the allegations and the broader implications for the DGCA’s operations are yet to be outlined as the case unfolds.