L-G writes to Home Ministry seeking action against IAS officer

According to officials, L-G VK Saxena made the recommendations following a report by the Central Bureau of Investigation that indicted Prakash for indulging in “misconduct”.

“The L-G has made this recommendation to the MHA on the basis of substantiated recommendation made by the CBI in a matter where Prakash allegedly took a bribe of Rs 50 lakh for extending undue favours to an Executive Engineer, P S Meena… by diluting punishment against him in two cases of corruption,” said a communication from the L-G’s office.

A case in this matter was filed by one J S Sharma on February 10, 2020, when Prakash was serving as vice-chairman of DAMB. Officials said the two cases against Meena involved his son and his wife.

Officials from the L-G office also said that in the first case, a retired IAS officer had in January 2021 recommended
“major penalty/dismissal from service” against Meena. Officials alleged that Prakash issued a “censure” against Meena on the last day of his posting as the DAMB V-C, and Meena submitted his reply the same day.

Officials alleged that in the second case, Prakash did not conduct an inquiry and ordered “punishment of censure” against Meena, clubbing it with the first case and noting that the two cases were similar. Officials said CBI recorded these “deliberate lapses” by Prakash in a letter to former Chief Secretary Vijay Dev. “Finding these
‘deliberate lapses’ and ‘undue favours’ a fit case of corruption, L-G has recommended MHA to take necessary action against Prakash,” said officials.

Prakash did not respond to calls and messages seeking comment. Currently appointed as special secretary, Health and Family Welfare, he has in the past served in the Directorate of Education, DJB and DSFMC.