In a major development from Uttar Pradesh, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has quashed the high-profile corruption case linked to the solar project bribery allegations. The ruling brings significant relief to IAS officer Abhishek Prakash and arrested accused Nikant Jain.
The court observed that the charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Prevention of Corruption Act did not constitute any actionable offence. The bench noted that the allegations lacked evidence and therefore could not stand legal scrutiny. With this order, the chargesheet filed on May 15, 2025, has also been cancelled.
Complainant admits error in court
In a surprising turn, the complainant told the court that the complaint had been filed due to a misunderstanding. They acknowledged that the complaint made to the Chief Minister's office was incorrect and had stemmed from confusion. The case, registered on March 20, 2025, was based on allegations of bribery in a major solar manufacturing project worth nearly Rs 400 crore. The accusations claimed that a commission was demanded in return for project clearance but the court found the allegations to be entirely unsupported by evidence.
STF probe led to action earlier
Earlier, following a complaint and subsequent directives, the Special Task Force (STF) had launched an investigation which resulted in action being taken against the accused people. However, the court's latest verdict has now overturned the proceedings. With the corruption case officially closed, IAS officer Abhishek Prakash is expected to be reinstated soon.
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