Bengaluru: In Karnataka bureaucrat spat row, IAS officer Rohini Sindhuri moved the City Civil Court to enforce a restraining order against IPS officer D Roopa from making any defamatory statements in the media about her. Rohini Sindhuri also requested in the application to pass a restraining order against broadcasting such statements in the media.
The city's 23rd City Civil Court, which heard the claims filed in this regard, completed the hearing and reserved the order for February 23. During the hearing, Sindhuri's lawyer explained to the court that "IPS officer Roopa, who was the head of the cyber department, obtained Rohini's mobile information illegally".
Responding to this, the judges asked whether a complaint could be lodged with the appropriate authority in this regard. The lawyers explained that a complaint has been made to the Chief Secretary.
Legal notice to D Roopa: On the other hand, Sindhuri issued a legal notice to Roopa through senior advocate CV Nagesh. ''The allegations against me are baseless. If D Roopa does not apologize, I will file a defamation case,'' Rohini said in the notice. Rohini issued a notice on a total of 21 points including all the allegations made by D Roopa. In the notice, Roopa has been asked to issue an open apology on Facebook within 24 hours of receiving the notice failing which Sindhuri will file a defamation case of Rs 1 crore against her.
Meanwhile, the spat took another turn on Wednesday when an RTI activist N Gangaraju claimed that Roopa shared with him private pictures of Sindhuri as well as herself. He also released an audio clip of his call recording with Roopa, wherein she tries to persuade him to condemn Rohini.
Talking to the media, Gangaraju claimed that he was in possession of some private pictures of both the women involved, sent to him by Roopa. Gangaraju maintained that Roopa is assuming that he is supporting Rohini Sindhuri. "Why is she forcing me repeatedly to complain against Rohini? Provocation is a big crime," he asserted.
Further clarifying that it is not in him to assassinate the character of a woman by releasing the photos he has of Roopa, Gangaraju asked how, despite being a woman, can Roopa send private pictures of another woman and provoke others to speak about it. "Even I have a photo of yours sent from your mobile very similar to photos released by you. Can I release it to the media? This is the difference between you and me. I got the photo yesterday," he questioned Roopa, as he spoke to the media.
"If she argues that I don't have the photo, I will send it to her. Punishment is more for conspirators. Those who have passed IPS exams, don't they know it? What can I say about the personal chats and photos which have been sent to me? Won't it be a character assassination if the photos of a woman are released?" he questioned. Gangaraju also claimed that he had advised Roopa to sit with Rohini Sindhuri and sort any internal issues she has with her.
In the 25-minute audio clip that the Mysuru based RTI activist revealed earlier today, Roopa is purportedly alleging misuse of government office by Rohini Sindhuri and her husband. In the clip, Roopa claims that Sindhuri had illegally sought details of certain properties accessible to the former's husband -- IAS officer Munish Moudgil -- during his tenure as commissioner of the department.
Also read: Karnataka IAS vs IPS spat: Roopa Moudgil, Rohini Sindhuri transferred without posting
"Rohini Sindhuri's family does land business and real estate business. My husband is in the office of land records and she has taken his help. She had sought an opinion to purchase the property," Roopa is purportedy heard saying in the audio clip. "She (Sindhuri) used my husband to carry out a land deal. She also took information to promote her husband's real estate. Because of her, we are having problems. She is like cancer. She will influence anyone. That's what exactly happened with D.K. Ravi (late IAS officer who committed suicide)," Roopa adds.
Gangaraju claimed that this is one of the two call records he has, that lasted for 25 minutes. "She questioned me like a CBI officer regarding a land deal. I answered all her questions patiently. She also sent me the private pictures of Rohini Sindhuri and asked me to condemn it," he added. He also alleged that Roopa forced him to file a complaint against Sindhuri an condemn her publicly.
The dispute erupted last Saturday between Roopa and Sindhuri, when the former levelled 19 allegations against Sindhuri, including that of corrupt activities. The next day, Roopa shared seven photos of Sindhuri, claiming that she had sent them to three male IAS officers. A day later, Roopa also posted them on Facebook.
The Karnataka government transferred both officials on Monday without notice. Both officers also received gag orders by the government, along with strict instructions against going to the media or using social media handles.
