A Delhi court on Monday granted bail to Bharat Mathur, an executive associated with Reliance Industries Limited, in a bribery case linked to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The case was reported by Koushiki Saha.
Court Observations and Bail Conditions
Special Judge Chhavi Kapoor of the Rouse Avenue Courts noted that the 64-year-old accused had no prior criminal antecedents and had already spent 15 days in custody. The judge stated, "Accused is reported to be resident of Delhi since last 20 years, and appears to have deep roots in the society. He has undertaken to cooperate in the remaining investigation and make himself available for interrogation by the IO."
Observing that no further recovery was pending, the court granted him bail on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh. Judge Kapoor noted that although the bribe was admittedly paid to benefit the company, the applicant was not an employee of Asteria Aerospace and claimed to have acted at the behest of Ankit Gupta, Associate Vice President of Regulatory Compliance.
Background of the Case
The bribery case involves allegations of improper payments made to influence DGCA officials. Mathur's legal team argued that he was not a direct employee of the company involved and had followed instructions from a superior. The prosecution did not oppose the bail plea, given the lack of criminal history and the accused's cooperation.
The court's decision comes amid ongoing scrutiny of corporate compliance and regulatory oversight in the aviation sector. The case highlights the legal complexities surrounding corporate liability and individual accountability in bribery allegations.
For more updates on legal proceedings and corporate news, follow our coverage.
