ED's fresh notice to Nikant Jain as he stays untraceable
LUCKNOW, Oct. 8 -- Nikant Jain, the alleged aide of the suspended senior IAS officer Abhishek Prakash, has been untraceable for several weeks after getting bail in the alleged corruption in Invest UP as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday issued a fresh notice to him for further questioning in the case, confirmed ED officials on Tuesday.
The ED officials said Nikant Jain has not been residing at his Gomti Nagar residence since he got bail in the case. They said the state police had arrested him after the representative of a solar company lodged an FIR against him with Gomti Nagar police on April 20 earlier this year accusing him of demanding commission on behalf of the senior IAS officer for getting his project cleared pending with Invest UP. He remained in jail for at least four months before getting bail in the case in August.
Senior IAS officer Abhishek Prakash, who was the then CEO of Invest UP, was suspended for allegedly having connivance with Jain. The ED has also lodged a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) 2002 on the basis of the FIR lodged by the Lucknow Police.
A senior ED official said the ED is investigating Jain's alleged role in the corruption case and is investigating his assets. He said Jain was accused of demanding a commission from a company representative, Vishwajeet, for facilitating the installation of a solar power plant.
He said the agency has so far discovered that Jain has assets in other people's names. He said Jain's company and other directors were also found to be in possession of incriminating documents during the ED raid.
The official said Jain has been asked through a proper notice issued on Monday to appear before the ED for questioning.
He said the agency will take further action in the case, including possible arrest, if Nikant Jain fails to cooperate. He said the role of other individuals involved in the alleged corruption is also under ED radar....
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