The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested a Deputy Director of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation posted in Chennai along with the director of a private aviation training firm in connection with an alleged bribery transaction of Rs 2.5 lakh. The arrested individuals have been identified as Sushil Kumar Garg, Deputy Director in the DGCA Airworthiness Directorate in Chennai, and Sachin Keshav Bhane, director of Ekvi Air Training Organisation Private Limited. Both men were taken into custody in Tamil Nadu, and the investigating agency is preparing to seek a transit remand to bring the regulatory officer to New Delhi for sustained interrogation.
Allegations of Regulatory Favours in Aircraft Clearance
According to the CBI, the action followed actionable information indicating that the DGCA officer had demanded illegal gratification in return for granting undue favours during the airworthiness certification process for aircraft linked to the training company. Following initial verification of the input, the agency registered a formal case naming Garg, Bhane, the private training enterprise, and other unidentified persons. Agency officials stated that Garg demanded Rs 2.5 lakh to facilitate the statutory certification and accepted the amount, leading to the immediate arrest of both accused.
Airworthiness certification is a mandatory regulatory safeguard in the civil aviation sector, designed to verify that an aircraft adheres strictly to established technical and safety standards before receiving authorization for flight operations. Investigators are examining official documentation and correspondence to establish the exact nature of the procedural concessions or regulatory clearances allegedly offered in exchange for the illicit payment.
Second Bribery Case Involving Aviation Regulator This Year
The operation marks the second major bribery case involving the DGCA uncovered by the central agency this year. In April 2026, the CBI arrested Mudavath Devula, then serving as Deputy Director General in the Airworthiness Directorate at DGCA headquarters in New Delhi, along with aerospace firm representative Bharat Mathur, in a separate case that also involved an alleged bribe demand of Rs 2.5 lakh.
The April investigation centred on payments solicited for expediting regulatory clearances for drone imports. During that operation, the CBI recovered the entire bribe amount and seized Rs 37 lakh in cash, gold and silver coins, and digital devices during searches across four locations in the national capital. Officials noted that the two cases remain separate, pointing out that the current arrest involves a field officer posted in Chennai handling aircraft training establishments, whereas the previous case concerned headquarters-level approvals for unmanned aerial vehicles.
Sustained Scrutiny Over Wider Regulatory Dealings
Federal investigators are conducting a thorough review of seized documents, communication records, and other material evidence to reconstruct the sequence of the alleged transaction. The agency is assessing Garg’s official responsibilities to determine whether any regulatory benefit had already been extended to the training company prior to the arrests.
The CBI is also expanding its inquiry to verify whether the payment was an isolated incident or part of a wider pattern of financial dealings between regulatory officials and commercial aviation entities. Officials indicated that the impending interrogation of the accused officer in New Delhi is expected to clarify the full scope of the arrangement and the potential involvement of other individuals.
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