Govt connecting dots before serving charge sheet on suspended IAS
The state government will also soon appoint an inquiry officer to probe the charges given to him in the charge sheet and action, if recommended by the inquiry officer, would be taken against him thereafter.
A week after placing Invest UP chief executive officer (CEO) Abhishek Prakash, an IAS officer of the 2006 batch, under suspension, the state government is connecting the dots to work out and issue a charge sheet to him.
The state government will also soon appoint an inquiry officer to probe the charges given to him in the charge sheet and action, if recommended by the inquiry officer, would be taken against him thereafter.
“Yes, we are connecting the dots, and the charge sheet will be given to Abhishek Prakash soon. The state government will also appoint an inquiry officer to complete the disciplinary probe ordered against him,” said a senior officer.
Besides working as Invest UP CEO, Abhishek Prakash was also functioning as secretary infrastructure and industrial development to the state government.
Those aware of the development said the charge sheet is worked out based on the available evidence/material and the dots need to be connected. The state government ordered suspension of Abhishek Prakash following a complaint by Biswajit Datt of SAEL Solar P6 Private Limited, alleging that a senior officer of Invest UP gave him the number of Nikant Jain who demanded 5% commission for approval.
The state government has also sent a report of the then Revenue Board chairman Rajnish Dubey regarding irregularities in acquisition of land for the defence corridor in Lucknow. Abhishek Prakash was posted as Lucknow district magistrate at the time. “There are apparently glaring lapses in the acquisition and payment of compensation and the appointment department has been asked to examine the report and action will follow against those found guilty of the lapses,” another senior officer said.
The state government has decided to order a vigilance probe against Abhishek Prakash. A formal order for the vigilance probe is likely to be issued soon. As Invest UP CEO, Abhishek Prakash presided over the meeting of the evaluation committee that on March 12, 2025 considered the company’s application for setting up the solar power plant. An official memorandum of the state appointment department dated March 20 has pointed out contradictions in the note sheet on the file about the recommendation of the evaluation committee about applicant’s case and the approved minutes of the same meeting. The note sheet has mentioned the recommendation saying, “The committee recommended the application to the HLEC (High Level Expert Committee) for further recommendation and approval in the light of above negotiations on its strategic importance and case-to-case package being sought by the applicant.” On the other hand, the minutes issued after approval of the Invest UP CEO mentioned: “The committee recommended that the application to be put up before Evaluation Committee again for re-evaluation after relevant details have been submitted by the applicant, YEIDA and UPPCL.” Whether Abhishek Prakash is directly or indirectly responsible for the changes in the recommendations about the company would be known once the inquiry into the whole issue is completed.
