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Activist: IPS officer sent pvt pics of bureaucrat she has traded charges with
The Karnataka government on Tuesday removed Indian Police Service officer D Roopa and Indian Administrative Service officer Rohini Sindhuri for trading serious charges
A Right To Information activist on Wednesday accused Indian Police Service (IPS) officer D Roopa of sending him Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Rohini Sindhuri’s private pictures a day after the Karnataka government removed the two officers from their posts without further postings for trading serious charges.
Gangaraju, the activist, said Roopa spoke to him for 25 minutes and questioned him like a Central Bureau of Investigation officer regarding a land deal. “I answered all her questions patiently. She had sent private pictures of Rohini Sindhuri and asked me to condemn it.”
This came as an audio clip surfaced on Wednesday in which Roopa is purportedly heard bad-mouthing Sindhuri and alleging her of misusing her powers.
Roopa is also allegedly heard pressurising Gangaraju to file a complaint against Sindhuri. HT could not independently verify the veracity of the clip.
The Karnataka government on Tuesday removed the two after they accused each of wrongdoings, including corruption, and sharing personal pictures. Roopa’s husband, IAS officer Munish Moudgil, was also transferred.
On Monday, Sindhuri and Roopa complained against each other to the chief secretary Vandita Sharma, who summoned them and sought an explanation.
In her complaint to Sharma, Sindhuri accused Roopa of personal vendetta and requested action against the IPS officer. Roopa sought a speedy inquiry into the complaints against Sindhuri.
Karnataka home minister Araga Jnanendra expressed displeasure over their conduct and warned of action. He said people look up to IAS and IPS officers and said their conduct was causing humiliation to civil services officers.
On Sunday, Roopa shared private photos of Sindhuri on social media. She claimed Sindhuri violated service conduct rules by sending her photos to three male IAS officers in 2021 and 2022.
In a Facebook post on Saturday, Roopa listed 20 allegations against Sindhuri, including corruption. Roopa said Sindhuri levelled accusations against former minister Sa Ra Mahesh but did not prove them. “Is that why she went for mediation with him?” Roopa asked.
Pictures of Sindhuri with Mahesh at a restaurant earlier went viral. The two accused each other of corruption when Sindhuri was Mysuru’s deputy commissioner in 2021.
Roopa cited Sindhuri’s conflict with fellow civil servants including former Mysuru City Corporation Commissioner Shilpa Nag. In 2021, the state government transferred Sindhuri and Nag, who accused the former of humiliating her.
Sindhuri responded on Sunday. She said Roopa is suffering from “mental illness” and that she has been driving “false, personal vilification campaigns” against her, which is “her standard modus operandi.”
Karnataka’s personnel and administrative reforms department asked the two officers to refrain from taking 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 said in an order.
