K.N. Phaneendra, J.

1. The petitioners who have worked as Tahsildars at Devanahalli for different periods have approached this Court seeking quashing of the entire investigation in Crime No. 18/2014 on the file of the Karnataka Lokayuktha Police, Bangalore Rural District which was initiated against all of them u/s. 13(1)(c) and (d) read with Section 13(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and also u/s. 120(B), 465, 468, 471, 420 of IPC and also u/s. 192A of Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964.

2. Before adverting to the grounds urged before this Court for quashing of the entire investigation in the above said cases, it is just and necessary to have a brief factual matrix of the cases. One Mr. M.J. Dayanand, Police Inspector, Karnataka Lokayukta, Bangalore Rural District, Bangalore lodged an FIR on 30.7.2014, wherein it is alleged that for the purpose of conducting phodi work of survey Numbers of Government lands, previous permission of the Deputy Commissioner and also the Department of Land Records and Land Revenue is absolutely necessary. The complainant has read in the newspaper item with regard to the land grabbing at Devanahalli. On careful perusal he found that the persons