New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday once again urged senior civil servants Rohini Sindhuri and D Roopa Moudgil to resolve their long-running dispute through mediation, observing that the prolonged legal battle is harming the careers and reputations of both officers.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday once again urged senior civil servants Rohini Sindhuri and D Roopa Moudgil to resolve their long-running dispute through mediation, observing that the prolonged legal battle is harming the careers and reputations of both officers.
A Bench comprising Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva made the observations while hearing a petition filed by 2009 batch IAS officer Rohini Sindhuri challenging a Karnataka High Court order that upheld criminal defamation proceedings initiated against 2000 batch IPS officer D Roopa Moudgil.
Expressing concern over the continuing public feud between the two officers, the apex court emphasized that an amicable settlement would be in the best interests of both parties.
Supreme Court: “Both Are Excellent Officers”
During the hearing, the Bench noted that both officers have distinguished careers and significant responsibilities in public service.
“Both are excellent officers. They are ruining each other’s career. This Court is of the opinion that the matter can be resolved by way of mediation,” the Bench observed.
To facilitate a possible resolution, the Supreme Court appointed former Supreme Court judge Justice Kurian Joseph as mediator and asked him to explore the possibility of a mutually acceptable settlement between the two officers.
Origin of the Dispute
The controversy dates back to February 2023 when Rohini Sindhuri discovered a series of Facebook posts made by Roopa Moudgil.
In those posts, Moudgil allegedly accused Sindhuri of sharing personal photographs with fellow IAS officers. The allegations quickly triggered a public war of words between the two senior officers, attracting widespread media attention and sparking intense public debate.
The dispute became one of the most high-profile confrontations between serving civil servants in recent years.
Karnataka Government Transferred Both Officers
As the controversy escalated, the Karnataka government intervened and transferred both officers from their respective positions.
The public nature of the allegations and counter-allegations raised concerns about administrative functioning and professional conduct within the civil services.
Following the controversy, Rohini Sindhuri issued a legal notice to Roopa Moudgil demanding an unconditional apology and ₹1 crore as compensation for alleged reputational damage and mental agony.
Criminal Defamation Proceedings
In March 2023, a Bengaluru court took cognisance of Sindhuri’s complaint and initiated criminal defamation proceedings against Moudgil.
The IPS officer subsequently approached the Karnataka High Court seeking quashing of the proceedings. However, the High Court declined to interfere, holding that the allegations required a full-fledged trial.
The High Court’s refusal paved the way for continuation of the criminal defamation case.
Supreme Court’s Earlier Intervention
The matter reached the Supreme Court in December 2023 when Roopa Moudgil challenged the High Court’s decision.
A Bench headed by Justice Abhay S. Oka had then expressed concern about the public fallout of the dispute and the impact such conduct could have on governance and administrative efficiency.
The apex court stayed the criminal defamation proceedings and directed both officers to refrain from making public comments or speaking to the media regarding the dispute.
The Court also encouraged both parties to explore an out-of-court settlement. It suggested that Moudgil consider deleting the controversial social media posts and issue an apology if necessary to bring closure to the matter.
Earlier Mediation Efforts Failed
Despite several opportunities and repeated encouragement from the Supreme Court, previous attempts at settlement did not yield results.
According to court proceedings, Rohini Sindhuri maintained that the allegations had caused serious and irreversible harm to her reputation and therefore expressed reservations about settling the matter.
As mediation efforts failed, the dispute continued through the judicial process.
In November 2024, the Supreme Court permitted Roopa Moudgil to withdraw her petition seeking quashing of the criminal case after being informed that settlement talks had broken down and the matter would proceed before the trial court.
New Push for Mediation
The latest order reflects the Supreme Court’s continuing efforts to prevent a prolonged legal battle between two senior public servants.
By appointing Justice Kurian Joseph as mediator, the Court has once again opened the door for a negotiated settlement before the dispute advances further through criminal proceedings.
Legal observers believe the Court’s repeated emphasis on mediation underscores its concern that the prolonged conflict may not only affect the careers of the two officers but also diminish public confidence in administrative institutions.
Case Continues Under Judicial Scrutiny
For now, the criminal defamation proceedings remain under the Supreme Court’s scrutiny as mediation efforts are set to resume under the guidance of Justice Kurian Joseph.
Whether the two officers will finally reach a settlement remains uncertain, but the apex court has made it clear that a negotiated resolution would be preferable to a prolonged courtroom battle.
The dispute, which began with social media allegations in 2023, has now entered its fourth year and continues to be one of the most closely watched legal battles involving serving IAS and IPS officers in the country.
