Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court has remanded DGCA’s Mudavath Devula and Bharat Mathur to judicial custody till May 6 in a high-profile bribery case. Caught red-handed by CBI on April 18 with Rs 2.5 lakh in bribe money, the accused were linked to facilitating drone import permissions for kickbacks.
Presented in court post-CBI remand, the pair faced scrutiny over their roles in delaying and then expediting approvals for private aerospace companies. Devula, Deputy DG in the Airworthiness wing, was tasked with ensuring drone safety certifications— a duty he allegedly monetized. Mathur, bridging the gap as a corporate middleman from a drone-trading firm, sealed the corrupt bargain.
Searches yielded incriminating evidence: Rs 37 lakh cash, precious metal coins, and gadgets likely holding transaction records. This haul suggests the bribery wasn’t isolated but part of systematic extortion targeting firms navigating DGCA’s approval maze.
As India’s drone sector booms amid military and commercial applications, such scandals erode trust. Devula’s misuse of authority highlights vulnerabilities in a directorate pivotal to national airspace security. Mathur’s corporate ties point to deeper industry complicity.
With judicial custody in place, CBI vows to unravel the full network. This case could prompt reforms in aviation clearances, ensuring merit over money drives decisions. Stakeholders watch closely as justice unfolds.
