New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested M. Devula, Deputy Director General (Airworthiness) at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and Bharat Mathur, Senior Vice-President of a major corporate group, in connection with a ₹2.5 lakh bribery case. The arrests, made on Saturday, April 18, 2026, were part of an operation to intercept the illegal exchange of funds intended to fast-track drone import approvals for Asteria Aerospace Ltd, a subsidiary of the corporate group.
According to the CBI’s First Information Report (FIR), the investigation revealed that Devula had allegedly demanded ₹5 lakh per file for processing three pending applications related to the import of drone technology. Following a meeting between the two accused on April 17, the delivery of the bribe was scheduled for the evening of April 18 at Essex Farms, near the IIT Delhi flyover. CBI officials moved in during the transaction, seizing the entire ₹2.5 lakh amount on the spot.
Key Seizures and Legal Action:
- Cash and Valuables: Subsequent searches across four locations in Delhi led to the seizure of ₹37 lakh in unaccounted cash, along with several gold and silver coins and multiple digital devices from the accused official’s premises.
- Charges: Both individuals, along with Asteria Aerospace Ltd, have been booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
- Investigation Focus: The CBI is currently analyzing call records and digital data to determine if other files were cleared through similar corrupt practices and if more officials within the DGCA are involved in the nexus.
While the “ultimate parent company” of Asteria Aerospace is mentioned in financial statements, it has not been named as an accused in the FIR. Neither the corporate group nor Asteria Aerospace has issued an official statement regarding the arrests as of Sunday evening. This crackdown comes amid a significant push by the central government to regulate and expand the domestic drone industry, making transparency in DGCA approvals a high-priority concern for the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
