ORDER :

An important question relating to the authority of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (for short, 'VACB') of the State to register the crime and investigate the offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (for short, 'the P.C.Act') committed by the employees of the Central Government arises for consideration in these Criminal Revision Petitions.

2. The VACB, Kottayam unit registered a crime as V.C.No.5/2010/KTM against four accused persons. After completing the investigation, they filed final report at the court of Enquiry Commissioner and Special Judge, Kottayam (for short, 'the court below') alleging offences punishable under Sections 13(1)(c) and (d) r/w 13(2) of the P.C.Act and Sections 120-B, 420, 468, 471 and 204 of the IPC.

3. The prosecution allegation in short is as follows :

The accused No.1 is the Village Extension Officer, Thalayolaparamba and the Implementing Officer of Project No.137/2006 of Thalayolaparamba Grama Panchayat. Accused Nos. 2 to 4 are the officials of North Malabar Gramin Bank, Thalayolaparamba Branch. The accused Nos. 1 to 4 conspired together with the intention to cheat Thalayolaparamba Grama Panchayath and the beneficiaries of the proj