IAS officer Abhishek Prakash, who previously served as the District Magistrate (DM) of Lucknow for an extended period, has been suspended on allegations of corruption. Currently posted as the CEO of Invest UP, Prakash is accused of demanding a bribe to grant permission for a solar energy component manufacturing company to establish a unit in the state. The suspension, ordered by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, reflects the state government’s zero-tolerance policy toward corruption, having taken action against 11 officers since its first term.
The move has sent shockwaves through Uttar Pradesh’s bureaucratic circles, reigniting discussions about other high-profile corruption cases involving officials like civil services topper Pradeep Shukla, Neera Yadav, Akhand Pratap Singh, and Yadav Singh—all of whom faced investigations and, in some cases, imprisonment. Prakash’s case is currently under investigation by the State Vigilance, though it remains in its early stages.
CM Yogi’s Stance on Corruption
During an event in Gonda, CM Yogi Adityanath emphasized his administration’s resolve to eliminate corruption, likening it to a “mite” that must be eradicated. “If anyone demands money unnecessarily, lodge a complaint. We will investigate, fix accountability, and ensure that individual’s family is barred from government service forever,” he declared, underscoring his strict anti-corruption measures.
Notable Officers Implicated in Corruption
The suspension of Abhishek Prakash has brought renewed attention to several prominent officers previously penalized for corrupt practices:
- Neera Yadav: As chairperson of the Noida Authority in the 1990s, she was convicted in 2010 for illegal land allotments, receiving a four-year sentence from a CBI court.
- Yadav Singh: A former chief engineer at Noida Authority, Singh allegedly amassed properties worth crores. Arrested in 2016 following a CBI probe launched in 2015, he is currently out on bail.
- Akhand Pratap Singh: Once Chief Secretary under Mulayam Singh Yadav, he faced multiple corruption allegations, though investigations yielded limited results.
- Pradeep Shukla: A civil services topper, Shukla was arrested in 2017 by the CBI for approving irregular constructions during his tenure at the Lucknow Development Authority. His case remains ongoing.
- Sanjeev Saran: Suspended in 2020 as DM of Lucknow over a land scam, his investigation continues.
Other officers, including Satyendra Kumar Singh, Ghanshyam Singh, Devisharan Upadhyay, TK Shibu, Sunil Kumar Verma, Devendra Kumar Pandey, Amarnath Upadhyay, Kedarnath Singh, Sharda Singh, Jitendra Bahadur Singh, and Kumar Prashant, have also faced suspensions or investigations for various corruption charges, with some reinstated after probes.
Major Corruption Scandals in Uttar Pradesh
The state has witnessed several high-profile scams over the years:
- NRHM Scam: A Rs. 10,000-crore fraud under the National Rural Health Mission, investigated by the CBI, led to the imprisonment of multiple officials.
- Noida Plot Allotment Scam: Involving thousands of crores, this scam implicated officials like Neera Yadav and Yadav Singh.
- Gomti River Front Scam: A Rs. 1,000-crore scandal during Akhilesh Yadav’s tenure, currently under CBI scrutiny.
- Defence Corridor Land Acquisition: Alleged irregularities in land deals in Bhatgaon, Lucknow, occurred when Abhishek Prakash was DM.
Challenges in Investigations
Corruption probes in Uttar Pradesh, conducted by agencies like State Vigilance, Lokayukta, or the CBI, typically span six months to two years. However, cases like Neera Yadav’s took 15 years from the 1990s to her 2010 conviction, while Yadav Singh’s arrest came a year after the CBI began its probe in 2015. Experts note that bureaucratic and political pressures often hinder investigations, with Retired IG Arun Kumar Gupta alleging that these agencies merely “perform formalities.” He cited the fodder scam involving Lalu Prasad Yadav as a rare instance of actual punishment.
The CBI has filed chargesheets against over five IAS officers in the past decade, securing some convictions, while the Lokayukta’s role remains limited due to its lack of independent prosecution powers.
Public and Expert Perspectives
Umashankar Dubey, president of Lucknow Jan Kalyan Mahasabha and the complainant against Prakash, highlighted the pervasive nature of corruption since the 1990s, urging stricter government oversight. Rajeev Kumar Srivastava, an architect and citizen committee member, emphasized that corruption directly harms the public by denying them essential services while benefiting a select few.
As the investigation into Abhishek Prakash unfolds, it remains to be seen whether this case will break the pattern of prolonged delays and bureaucratic evasion, or if it will add to the list of unresolved corruption sagas in Uttar Pradesh.