The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a senior aviation regulator and a corporate executive in a Rs 2.5 lakh bribery case linked to approvals for drone imports, officials said on Sunday.
Those arrested include Mudavath Devula, Deputy Director General at the Airworthiness Directorate of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and Bharat Mathur, Senior Vice President of a major corporate group. Mathur is also associated with an aerospace company involved in drone imports.
The CBI said the case was registered on April 18, 2026, on allegations that the DGCA official demanded an undue advantage from private entities in exchange for clearing applications and granting approvals pending with the regulator for a private aerospace firm.
In an operation carried out on Saturday, the agency arrested both accused in connection with the Rs 2.5 lakh bribery case, recovering the entire amount.
“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,” CBI said in an official statement.
Subsequent searches were conducted at four locations in Delhi linked to the accused public servant and other private individuals. The raids led to the seizure of Rs 37 lakh in cash, along with gold and silver coins and multiple digital devices.
Further investigation into the case is underway.
– Ends
(With inputs from PTI.)
Published By:
Sahil Sinha
Published On:
Apr 19, 2026 19:56 IST
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