ORDER :

The petitioner is the second accused in the case registered as Crime No.V.C.02/2013/ALP by the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB), Alappuzha under Sections 409 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code and also under Sections 13(1)(c) and 13(1)(d) read with 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (for short 'the Act').

2. The petitioner was the Secretary of the District Panchayat, Alappuzha during the period from 01.04.2011 to 23.04.2012. The second accused in the case was the President of the District Panchayat, Alappuzha during the period from 08.11.2010 to 30.04.2012.

3. The second respondent filed a complaint in the Court of the Enquiry Commissioner and Special Judge, Kottayam against the aforesaid accused and another person. The crux of the allegations in the complaint was that the accused, pursuant to a conspiracy hatched by them, purchased land from Smt.Beena Kannan in connection with a project of the District Panchayat, by name “Gender Park”, at an exorbitant price of six crores rupees while the real value of the land was much less than the aforesaid amount.

4. As per the order of the Special Court, the VACB conducted a quick ve