ORDER :

The petitioners are officers of the Travancore Devaswom Board. They are accused of committing forgery, misappropriation of money and cheating.

2. The petitioners figure as accused 1 to 4 in the case registered as VC-02/2021/PTA by the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB), Pathanamthitta under Section 13(1)(a) read with Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (for short 'the Act') and also under Sections 420, 468 and 471 of the Indian Penal Code.

3. The first petitioner, who is the first accused in the case, was the Administrative Officer of the Travancore Devaswom Board. The second and the third petitioners, who are the second and the third accused in the case, were Executive Officers in the Travancore Devaswom Board at Sabarimala. The fourth petitioner, who is the fourth accused in the case, was employed as Junior Superintendent in the Travancore Devaswom Board.

4. The summary of the allegations against the petitioners, as mentioned in Annexure-A F.I.R, is as follows:

“That A1, while working as Administrative Officer, Travancore Devaswom Board, in charge of the running of Devaswom Board Mess at Nilakkal during the Mandala