Karnataka HC grants interim relief to IAS officer Rohini Sindhuri in defamation case filed by IPS officer Roopa D

Sindhuri had challenged a January 13 magistrate court order that took cognizance of an offence of defamation against her over an alleged press statement issued against Roopa in February 2023. She approached the high court last month and argued that no proper opportunity was given to her to counter the private complaint filed by Roopa.

The high court stated in its February 21 order that the “matter requires consideration” while adding that further proceedings arising out of the private complaint filed by the IPS officer Roopa “shall be stayed till next date of hearing” which is on March 12.

The IAS officer has filed a separate defamation case against Roopa which is under trial in a magistrate’s court. The hearings in that case had resumed in the magistrate’s court after a stay on the case – imposed by the Supreme Court – was lifted in November 2024 since the two officials failed to arrive at a settlement and the IPS officer withdrew her Supreme Court plea against the defamation case.

On February 15, the magistrate’s court had ordered telecom service providers Bharti Airtel Limited and Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd to preserve the Call Detail Records – from January 15, 2021 to February 28, 2023 – of two numbers linked to the dispute between the two officers.

The public spat between the IAS and IPS officer on personal issues created a controversy in Karnataka in early 2023 and left the two officers without postings for months.

Sindhuri, in her defamation complaint, alleged that IPS officer Roopa shared photos, made allegations on social media, and made statements in media questioning her personal and professional conduct to tarnish her image before the public and colleagues. The case was filed under Section 500 (defamation) of the Indian Penal Code, seeking damages of Rs 1 crore.

In August 2023, the Karnataka High Court refused to quash the defamation case lodged by Sindhuri against Roopa. A single-judge bench of the court rejected a plea by the IPS officer who then approached the Supreme Court.

“If the statements posted on a private account as well as the statements made before the print media are examined, I am more than satisfied that the petitioner/accused is bound to face a criminal trial. The question as to whether the posts made on a Facebook account and the statements made before the print media fall under exceptions is a matter of trial,” the high court had ruled on August 21, 2023.

The Supreme Court, however, stayed the proceedings in the defamation case filed by Sindhuri on December 15, 2023, and granted time to the two officers to reconcile their differences. The IPS officer then deleted the offensive posts against Sindhuri on social media. Sindhuri, however, sought an apology from the IPS officer for the social media posts.

In November 2024, Roopa withdrew her Special Leave Petition (SLP) in connection with the matter in the Supreme Court. The apex court disposed of the SLP stating that it was “dismissed as withdrawn”.