CBI arrests DGCA Deputy Director, senior executive of corporate group over drone import ‘bribery’

The CBI has arrested a deputy director general of civil aviation and the senior vice president of a major corporate group in a Rs 2.5 lakh bribery case to facilitate the import of drones for another private company, officials said Sunday.

In an operation on Saturday, the CBI arrested M Devula, Deputy Director General at the airworthiness directorate, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Bharat Mathur, who is also associated with an aerospace company involved in drone technology- Asteria Aerospace Ltd.

The CBI has booked Mathur, Devula and Asteria Aerospace Ltd under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The major corporate group where Mathur was working is not listed as accused in the FIR and is the "ultimate parent company" of Asteria Aerospace, according to Asteria Aerospace's financial statements for 2024-25. No immediate reaction was available from Asteria Aerospace or the corporate group.

The accused DGCA public servant allegedly demanded undue advantage from private persons in lieu of issuing approvals and permissions for applications pending with DGCA for a private aerospace company, a CBI spokesperson said.

The CBI conducted searches at the premises of the accused public servant and other private persons across four locations in Delhi, resulting in the seizure of cash worth Rs 37 lakh along with gold and silver coins and multiple digital devices, the statement added.

According to the FIR, Devula allegedly indulged in corrupt activities with private entities in matters relating to the grant of approvals.