The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recently arrested the Deputy Director General of the Airworthiness Directorate of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) along with the Senior Vice President of a major corporate group in connection with ₹2.5 lakh bribe case to facilitate import of drones for another private company, the central agency said in a press release on Sunday.
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PTI, citing officials, said that in a CBI operation on Saturday, it arrested M Devula, deputy director general of the Directorate of Airworthiness, DGCA, and Bharat Mathur, who is also associated with an aerospace company involved in drone technology – Asteria Aerospace Ltd.
Devula, Mathur and Asteria Aerospace were booked under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Act, 2023. The main group of companies where Mathur worked are not named as accused in the First Information Report (FIR). According to Asteria’s 2024–25 financial statements, the ultimate parent company is Asteria Aerospace.
what is it about
According to CBI spokesperson Devula, the accused DGCA official, allegedly demanded undue favor from private individuals in return for issuing consents and clearances for applications to DGCA for a private airline.
It read: “CBI has arrested Deputy Director General, Directorate of Airworthiness, DGCA, Directorate, New Delhi along with a representative of a private company in a bribery case ₹2.5 million, resulting in the forfeiture of the entire amount.”
The statement said the agency conducted searches at the premises of Devula and other accused at four locations in Delhi, resulting in the seizure of cash worth ₹37 lakhs, gold and silver coins and more digital devices.
What did the CBI FIR reveal?
According to the FIR, the case was registered on the basis of inputs received from a credible source who alleged that the DGCA official was allegedly involved in corrupt and illegal activities in connivance with private entities in matters relating to grant of approvals and permits in return for undue favour.
The FIR added that the agency received further information that Mathur had contacted Devula on March 18 to inquire about the status of certain applications related to the import of drones by Asteria Aerospace Ltd.
A few days later, Devula reportedly asked Mathur about the number of applications involved, to which Mathur confirmed that there were three applications relating to Asteria Aerospace Ltd, noting and adding: “It was resolved between them that ₹five million per file must be provided as a bribe for processing the file for approval.”
Further, Devula met Mathur earlier this week where the accused civil servant assured the completion of the work on the same day and confirmation of the same would be provided by the end of the day.
“The source also informed that M Devula asked Bharat Mathur to deliver illegal gratification at Essex Farms, near IIT Delhi Flyover by the evening of 18.04.2026,” the FIR said.
