Uttar Pradesh suspends Invest UP CEO for corruption

The Uttar Pradesh government has suspended Abhishek Prakash, the Chief Executive Officer of Invest UP, due to corruption allegations. Prakash is a senior IAS officer and was accused of irregularities in project approvals. An alleged middleman, Nikant Jain, was also arrested on the same day. Investigations began after an investor in the solar industry reported that Jain demanded a commission to help approve a project. Following this complaint, the government confirmed that Prakash had violated conduct rules and suspended him immediately. Further disciplinary actions have been initiated against him. The governor's order highlights that Prakash's actions breached the All India Services (Conduct) Rules-1968. Jain was arrested near Gomti Nagar after the investor filed a formal complaint. He allegedly demanded a 5 percent bribe for facilitating approvals from the Empowered Committee and pressured the applicant to pay in advance. If the applicant refused, Jain threatened that the project would face bureaucratic delays. Jain has a record of fraud and financial crimes, with several cases pending against him. Authorities are looking into his possible connections to other fraudulent activities. The Uttar Pradesh government has emphasized its commitment to combat corruption and ensure a fair environment for investors. They aim to process genuine investment projects quickly and without obstruction. Investigations are continuing to uncover any other officials or individuals linked with Jain in this case.