Allahabad HC sets aside vigilance inquiry against IAS Abhishek Prakash in disproportionate assets case

On Thursday, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court overturned the Uttar Pradesh Government's March 2025 orders that suspended, disciplined and conducted a Vigilance inquiry into then Invest UP CEO and Industry Department Secretary IAS Abhishek Prakash. The High Court quashed the inquiry that was ongoing against Prakash.

The inquiry was initiated following a complaint filed by an official of a private company, Nikant Jain, in March 2025. Jain alleged that Prakash demanded a bribe in exchange for clearing a government project for his company. Jain was arrested and charged, but later, the case and chargesheet were dismissed by the High Court in February 2025 based on the complainant's affidavit stating he had filed the complaint under the wrong impression.

The High Court ruling on Thursday observed that since the foundation complaint was found to be false, all subsequent actions based on that complaint were also invalid. Prakash was suspended and disciplined without the necessary approval from the State Vigilance Committee as required by government orders from 1991 to 2018.

Prakash had filed a petition requesting the court to set aside the proceedings against him. His counsel argued that he was serving as Secretary of the Department of Industry and Infrastructure Development and CEO of Invest UP when the complaint was filed. The complaint claimed that Jain demanded a 5% share of the project's profits in order to facilitate approval of the application by the Empowered Committee and Cabinet. The petition stated that Jain refused the offer, and Prakash's case was deferred and later approved.