Troubles are mounting for IAS Abhishek Prakash caught in a mess of corruption allegations. A vigilance investigation into his assets has been initiated. The Uttar Pradesh government has ordered a vigilance inquiry into the assets owned by Prakash.
The Vigilance Wing will gather details about unreported properties accumulated by Abhishek Prakash during his tenures in Bareilly, Pilibhit, Hamirpur, and Lucknow. Previously, Abhishek Prakash, the CEO of Invest UP, was allegedly caught accepting bribes for approving a solar power project and was suspended in connection with that.
Meanwhile, a middleman demanding bribes from a businessman has also been arrested. Allegations have surfaced that IAS Abhishek was demanding a 5% commission through a middleman from SAEL Solar P6 Private Limited. Action was taken after a complaint from a company representative.
Allegations Leveled
Representative Viswajit Dutta of SAEL Solar P6 Private Limited complained on March 20 that they intended to set up a factory to manufacture solar cells, solar panels, and solar plant components in Uttar Pradesh. They applied for a Letter of Comfort (LOC) under UP Invest, but their application was repeatedly delayed for not paying a commission.
The complainant alleged that IAS Abhishek Prakash directed them to meet Nikant Jain and made it clear that an endorsement would only happen if Jain agreed. Upon meeting, Jain demanded a 5% commission. However, during the evaluation committee meeting on March 12, 2025, the company was recommended an LOC, but Abhishek Prakash ordered its re-evaluation.
CM Takes Action
When the matter came to the attention of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, he summoned the entire file for review and ordered an investigation. The inquiry confirmed irregularities through file annotations and questioning of officials. Following the investigation, upon Viswajit Dutta's complaint, an FIR was registered against Nikant Jain at Lucknow's Gomti Nagar police station, and Jain was arrested and sent to jail.
In an uncompromising stance, the Chief Minister suspended IAS Abhishek Prakash with immediate effect and directed strict departmental actions against him. The Uttar Pradesh government has made it clear that corruption will not be tolerated.
Also Read: Suspended IAS Abhishek Prakash is further entangled in a Defense Corridor Land Scam – an issue worth millions.
2006 Batch IAS Officer - Abhishek Prakash
Abhishek Prakash, a 2006 batch IAS officer, was born in 1982 and hails from Bihar. He currently held the position of Secretary in the UP government, in charge of the IDC department, and served as the CEO of Invest UP. Between 2000 to 2004, he completed his engineering from IIT Roorkee, followed by a Master’s degree in Public Administration and Public Policy. Furthermore, Abhishek Prakash served as the District Magistrate of Lakhimpur Kheri, Lucknow, Aligarh, and Hamirpur districts.
