A Delhi court has extended the judicial custody of Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) official Mudavath Devula and private company executive Bharat Mathur until May 6. The decision was made after the accused were presented before the Rouse Avenue Court following the conclusion of their Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) custody. Devula, a Deputy Director General at DGCA, and Mathur, a Senior Vice President at a private aerospace-related company, were apprehended by the CBI on April 18 for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 2.5 lakh.
The CBI had requested an extension of their custody on April 22 to allow for further investigation and evidence confrontation. Devula, responsible for certifying aircraft and drones’ airworthiness, is accused of seeking favors from private entities in exchange for regulatory approvals. Mathur, from a private firm in the aerospace sector, is alleged to have facilitated the bribe transaction between the DGCA official and a company seeking drone import clearance.
After the arrests, the CBI conducted searches at various locations in Delhi associated with the accused, recovering Rs 37 lakh in cash, gold and silver coins, and digital devices. The agency aims to uncover the extent of the alleged collusion between officials and private entities.
