How did IAS officer settle case between MLA Sa Ra Mahesh and Rohini Sindhuri, asks Karnataka MLC

“Has the government empowered him (to settle cases outside court)?” he asked. Pointing out that since the cases on the allegations made by Mahesh are not yet closed, the MLC asked, “How appropriate was it to settle this through mediation?”

Responding, Karnataka Higher Education Minister C N Ashwath Narayan said that action will be taken as per law.

In the 25-minute conversation held on January 30 this year – a recording of which was released by Gangaraju to the media on Wednesday – Roopa alleged that Sindhuri sought help from JD(S) leaders H D Deve Gowda and H D Kumaraswamy and approached Legislative Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hedge Kageri to urge Mahesh to withdraw the cases.

It was following reports of a compromise between Mahesh and Sindhuri that Roopa began levelling allegations against the IAS officer last Saturday. Amid their bitter public spat, both were transferred without posting on Tuesday, and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that action will be initiated against the duo.

In the clip, Roopa purportedly asks whether Gangaraju had filed complaints against Mahesh on behalf of Sindhuri and whether the activist too had compromised. He denies it saying that he was fighting cases against many politicians.

“You filed a case against Sa Ra Mahesh after finding all documents, now she (Sindhuri) has gone behind Sa Ra Mahesh and begged to withdraw the cases,” Roopa is purportedly heard saying in the audio. The IPS officer alleges that Sindhuri had even requested Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy to withdraw cases. “They told him, but he did not. She went to Kageri over the same issue,” Roopa alleged.

Apart from filing cases against Sindhuri for violating rules and constructing a swimming pool at the Mysuru DC residence (a heritage building), a corruption case related to the procurement of cloth bags during her tenure in Mysuru, and a defamation case against her, Mahesh had also moved a breach of privilege motion against the officer.

Claiming that Sindhuri had even asked IAS officer V Raman Reddy to put in a word with Mahesh, Roopa purportedly said that it was Manivannan who “went to Mahesh and requested a lot to meet her (Sindhuri) once. Finally, they decided to settle the cases in the corridors of Belagavi Suvarna Soudha…If she was right, why did she go to such lengths (for the settlement)?”

The Indian Express reached out to both Manivannan and Reddy but they are yet to respond.

Gangaraju then alleges that he was offered a bribe to settle the case filed against Mahesh, which alleged land encroachment in Mysuru, adding that he was not ready for a compromise. He told reporters Wednesday that Roopa questioned him beyond the limits of her power as an IPS officer.

In the audio, Roopa is also purportedly heard saying that she requested the transfer of her husband, IAS officer Munish Moudgil, from the survey, settlement and land records department as he was helping Sindhuri’s real estate ‘family business’.