IAS officer Rohini Sindhuri has declined to settle her defamation case against IPS officer D Roopa Moudgil.
The Supreme Court, where the case is pending has been informed that the parties have been unable to reach a compromise, necessitating the case to go to trial.
The case originated when Roopa allegedly made defamatory statements about Sindhuri on social media, accusing her of misconduct. These allegations included claims that Sindhuri shared private photos with fellow IAS officers. Following these posts, the Karnataka government transferred both officers to defuse the public spat.
Sindhuri responded by filing a defamation suit, demanding an apology and ₹1 crore in damages for harm to her reputation. Despite earlier attempts by the Supreme Court to mediate, with suggestions that the dispute be resolved out of court to avoid further career damage, no agreement could be reached. Justice Abhay S Oka emphasized the strain that prolonged legal battles place on public servants’ careers and urged them to consider mediation, but Sindhuri’s counsel argued that the defamation had severely impacted her client’s reputation.
As the case proceeds, both officers may face significant scrutiny, given their public roles. The court allowed Roopa to withdraw her request to quash the defamation charges, setting the stage for a full trial in the coming months.
