The ongoing public spat between IAS officer Rohini Sindhuri and IPS officer D Roopa has continued, with the latter taking to social media to lash out at the IAS officer, even after the Karnataka government warned the two high-profile women officers from making defamatory statements against each other.
On Sunday, Roopa shared three newspaper articles, calling them “information available in the public domain” against Sindhuri. “Sharing the article in public domain…Honble MP says DC MYSURU Rohini Sindhuri fudged figures of Covid death,” Roopa posted on Facebook, along with the link to a newspaper article published in June 2021.
Also read: Departmental probe against Karnataka officers over public spat
The article pointed out the allegations made by Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha against the district administration on alleged fudging of the data on Covid-19 deaths in the district, targeting then deputy commissioner Sindhuri.
In another post, the IPS officer shared an article from December last year pertaining to a case of missing items from the Administrative Training Institute (ATI) Guest House on Lalitha Mahal Road after an IAS officer’s brief stay.
“… It is reported that Rohini Sindhuri took government goods from Mysore ATI, they are not even in DC house, where did they go. Is action taken on this? Whether government goods are [worth] 50 rupees or 50 crores, is it wrong or wrong,” Roopa said in the social media post. “Those who took 1000 rupees bribe are also under Lokayukta trial. Law is same for DC and Gumasthan.”
A joint director of Mysuru-based ATI had written to the deputy commissioner (DC) of Mysuru in this regard on November 30 last year, based on the directions of the director general of ATI.
The letter, signed by S Poovitha, joint director (administration) of ATI, stated that the earlier DC of Mysuru, Rohini Sindhuri, had stayed in the guest house of the ATI from October 2 to November 14, 2020. The letter stated that 20 items of various types have been missing.
The two bureaucrats have been at war since Roopa, on February 19, targeted Sindhuri for alleged corruption and for sharing what she described as “objectionable pictures” with colleagues. Sindhuri dismissed the allegations and accused Roopa of driving a “false, personal vilification campaign”. The two later approached chief secretary Vandita Sharma over the matter, seeking action against each other. Sharma ordered a probe as per the instructions of chief minister Basavaraj Bommai last week.
On February 21, the Karnataka government removed the two officers from their current role, without posting. Roopa’s husband, IAS officer Munish Moudgil, was also transferred.
Also read: IAS officer Rohini Sindhuri sends notice to IPS D Roopa for ‘defamatory posts’, seeks unconditional apology
Roopa’s latest tirade against Sindhuri came even as the state’s department of personnel and administrative reforms (DPAR) has asked both officers to refrain from going to the media or sharing anything on social media. “In spite of having a forum to file your objections and complaints, you have gone to the media causing severe embarrassment and bringing disrepute to the government,” the government order said.
A Bengaluru court has also issued an injunction order against Roopa and others from making defamatory statements against Sindhuri, who had approached the civil and sessions judge on February 22. In her suit, the IAS officer has named 59 media outlets, including Suvarna News channel. The court has issued a notice to Roopa and others to file objections, if any, to the Sindhuri’s plea before March 7.
