ORDER :

The petitioner was a Range Officer at Social Forestry Range, Thiruvananthapuram. She seeks to quash the FIR No.V.C.1/2021 of VACB, Southern Range, Thiruvananthapuram, against her. She faces allegations under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

2. Facts

2.1. Respondent No.3 holds a contract license under the Kerala Forest Department. He was engaged in the contract work of the Forest Department at Attingal in Thiruvananthapuram Range. In 2020, respondent No.3 was awarded the contract for the maintenance of compensatory afforestation at Kerala University Campus, Karyavattam, in lieu of tree felling for the Vizhinjam International Seaport Project. The petitioner, being the Range Officer of the Social Forestry Division, was responsible for passing the bills submitted for the work undertaken by respondent No.3.

2.2. Respondent No.3 filed a complaint before the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau on 15.8.2021, alleging the following:

Respondent No.3 completed the work of compensatory afforestation at the Kerala University Campus at Karyavattam. He was entitled to Rs.4,00,000/-towards the work. He completed the job in June 2020. Thereafter, he approached the petitioner