Lucknow, Dec. 25 -- The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has quashed the entire criminal proceedings against international shooter and President awardee Vartika Singh, who was accused of cheating after alleging a Rs.25 lakh bribe demand for a berth in the National Commission for Women (NCW). Justice Rajeev Singh passed the order on December 19 on a petition filed by Singh seeking quashing of the case lodged at Musafirkhana police station in Amethi in 2020. According to the prosecution, Singh was contacted in April 2020 by one Rajneesh Singh, who followed her on social media and introduced himself as an "active BJP leader" close to a cabinet minister. Her counsel said Rajneesh offered her a nomination to the NCW and sent letters via WhatsApp, claiming they carried recommendations signed by a cabinet minister and addressed to the Prime Minister. In June 2020, the order noted, Rajneesh allegedly shared a screenshot of another letter purportedly issued from the Prime Minister's Office. However, in November 2020, he informed Singh that the appointment would be possible only after payment of Rs.25 lakh. When she refused, he allegedly said the appointment letter would not be signed. Singh's counsel argued that she later met then minister Smriti Irani and shared copies of the letters but received no response. The FIR, he said, was based on concocted facts and filed to defame and victimise her. Allowing the plea, the court held there was no evidence of forgery or cheating against Singh and termed the proceedings malicious, setting aside the entire case against her....