New Delhi: The Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi has granted regular bail to Deepak Gahlawat (IPS:2016:HY), nearly a month after his arrest in a CBI investigation into an alleged ₹3 crore bribery case.
Special CBI Judge Sushant Changotra, while allowing the bail plea on July 31, observed that no further custodial interrogation of the IPS officer was required and that his continued detention would serve no useful purpose as the investigation had substantially progressed.
Court Says Investigation Nearing Completion
In its order, the court noted that the investigation was almost complete, with only the Chemical Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) report relating to a seized digital device still awaited.
The judge also observed that the charge sheet had not yet been filed and that the trial was likely to take considerable time even after its filing.
Accordingly, the court directed Mr Gahlawat’s release on furnishing a bail bond of ₹50,000 along with one surety of the same amount.
Bail Conditions
The court imposed several conditions while granting bail, including:
- Cooperation with the ongoing investigation.
- No tampering with evidence or influencing witnesses.
- No travel outside India without prior permission of the court.
CBI’s Allegations
Deepak Gahlawat, who was serving as Regional Director of the Directorate of Civil Aviation, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with an alleged conspiracy to influence an investigation in a criminal case transferred from Puducherry.
According to the CBI, on May 14, 2026, accused persons N. Raja, Rajkumar, Pradeep Singh and Prabhat Kapoorallegedly met Gahlawat in his office, where he purportedly assured Raja that he would secure favourable relief in the case.
The agency alleged that a ₹3 crore bribe was demanded, of which an advance payment of ₹1 crore was allegedly routed through hawala channels and later recovered during the investigation.
Defence Challenges Allegations
Appearing for Gahlawat, Senior Advocate Manu Sharma, along with Advocates Anurag Nasiar and Arjun Kakkar, argued that the IPS officer had been falsely implicated.
The defence submitted that although the investigation commenced on June 8, 2026, no evidence had emerged establishing either a demand for or receipt of any bribe by Gahlawat.
The lawyers further pointed out that Gahlawat had remained in custody since July 1, 2026, and more than 55 days had elapsed since the investigation began without any incriminating material linking him to the alleged bribe amount.
They also argued that the recoveries made by the investigating agency were connected to other accused persons and not to Gahlawat.
CBI Findings
During the investigation, the CBI reportedly found that Gahlawat was not in contact with any public servant in the agency, a point highlighted during the bail proceedings.
The matter will now proceed further as the CBI completes the remaining investigation and files its charge sheet before the trial court.
