LUCKNOW: Abhishek Prakash, CEO of Invest UP and the former district magistrate of Lucknow, was suspended on Thursday following allegations of misconduct during the evaluation process for a proposed solar manufacturing initiative in the state. Additionally, the local police arrested a middleman on accusations of soliciting a bribe for the approval of the solar project, reportedly at the direction of a senior official from Invest UP.
According to a government press release, the allegations against Prakash, a 2006-batch IAS officer, were investigated and found to have sufficient initial evidence. The inquiry determined that his actions could obstruct the goals of the UP Industrial Investment and Employment Promotion Policy 2022, potentially harming investor confidence and damaging the state’s reputation as a favorable destination for investment.
Sources within the government indicated that the chief minister’s office (CMO) instructed an investigation into the matter after it received a complaint. Vishwajit Datta of SAEL Solar P6 Pvt Ltd submitted a complaint to the CMO on March 20, expressing that his company intended to establish a manufacturing facility for solar cells and related solar power components in UP. He further alleged that officials at Invest UP requested 5% of the project cost to expedite the proposal’s approval, a request he declined.
The complainant noted that their application was submitted both directly and through an online platform. However, prior to its presentation to the evaluation committee, a “senior official in Invest UP” provided him with the contact information of one Nikant Jain, stating that if Jain endorsed his project, it would swiftly gain approval from both the evaluation panel and the state cabinet. Jain subsequently demanded 5% of the project cost as a commission, insisting on receiving the amount in cash upfront, which Datta reported he refused. Although the evaluation committee eventually approved the project, it did not receive final clearance. Datta’s complaint asserted that Jain reiterated that only he could help secure the project’s approval. The police apprehended Jain on Thursday.
