Supreme Court Urges Mediation Between IPS and IAS Officers in Ongoing Dispute

Supreme Court's Intervention in Officer Dispute

The Supreme Court has advised IPS officer D. Roopa Moudgil and IAS officer Rohini Sindhuri to resolve their long-standing conflict through dialogue or mediation. Recognizing the potential for an amicable resolution, a bench comprising Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva appointed former Supreme Court judge Justice Kurian Joseph to facilitate discussions between the two officials. This judicial intervention comes over three years after a public dispute arose between the senior Karnataka officials, sparked by Facebook posts that led to defamation lawsuits and a demand for ₹1 crore in damages, with the apex court reviewing the matter multiple times.

Origin of the Facebook Controversy

According to reports, the conflict began in February 2023 when Sindhuri became aware of certain Facebook posts made by Moudgil. In these posts, Moudgil accused Sindhuri of sharing personal photographs with fellow IAS officers. The allegations quickly became public, igniting a heated and widely discussed argument between the two officials. The situation escalated to the point where the Karnataka government decided to transfer both officers.

Legal Notice for ₹1 Crore

Following the public fallout, Sindhuri issued a legal notice to Moudgil, demanding an unconditional apology and ₹1 crore in damages. She asserted that the accusations had harmed her reputation and caused her mental distress. The dispute soon escalated to the courts, and in March 2023, a Bengaluru court acknowledged Sindhuri's criminal defamation complaint and initiated proceedings against Moudgil. Reports indicate that Moudgil subsequently approached the Karnataka High Court to dismiss the case, but the High Court declined to intervene, stating that a full hearing on the allegations was necessary.