Delhi L-G recommends action against IAS officer for ‘corruption’

Accused had allegedly accepted ₹50-lakh bribe on his last day in office

Lieutenant-Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has recommended action against an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer for allegedly accepting a ₹50-lakh bribe on his last day in office.

Raj Niwas sources said Udit Prakash Rai, a 2007-batch IAS officer, had allegedly indulged in “misconduct” while performing his official duty. 

It also alleged that the AGMUT officer was “close to the AAP dispensation” and had “mostly served in plum postings” in departments such as health, education and the Delhi Jal Board.

“The L-G has recommended proceedings against the officer to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on the basis of a substantiated recommendation made by the CBI,” a source said.

“The recommendation is related to a matter where Udit Prakash allegedly took a bribe of ₹50 lakh for extending undue favours to an Executive Engineer P.S. Meena in the Delhi Agricultural Marketing Board (DAMB) by diluting punishment against him in two cases of corruption,” the source said.

As DAMB vice-chairman, according to the source, the accused officer is alleged to have “virtually let off” Mr. Meena in two disproportionate asset cases.

The L-G, sources added, had also authorised the Chief Secretary to set aside a “punishment of censure” in these cases against Mr. Meena and “ensure appropriate punishment”.