High Court dismisses Rohini Sindhuri’s plea in Roopa defamation case

Bengaluru

In a significant development in the ongoing legal battle between IPS officer D Roopa Moudgil and IAS officer Rohini Sindhuri, the Karnataka High Court has dismissed Sindhuri’s petition seeking to quash a defamation case filed against her by Roopa.

With the High Court rejecting the plea, the defamation proceedings pending before the Magistrate Court will now continue.

Background of the case

The dispute stems from a private complaint filed by Roopa before the 7th ACMM Court in Bengaluru, alleging that Sindhuri made defamatory statements against her. The complaint relates to statements reportedly made by Sindhuri to the media on February 19, 2023. According to Roopa, the same statements were later shared on Sindhuri’s social media account on X (formerly Twitter).

Roopa has contended that the statements contained defamatory allegations that harmed her reputation.

Seeking relief, Sindhuri had approached the Karnataka High Court, requesting that the defamation complaint be quashed. However, the High Court has now dismissed her petition, effectively allowing the trial process to proceed.

Allegations in Roopa’s complaint

In her complaint, Roopa has stated that following Sindhuri’s public remarks, she was transferred without being assigned a posting. She has further claimed that she was made to remain at home without salary for six months.

Roopa has also alleged that the statements caused severe mental distress not only to her but also to her husband, sister, and children.

The lower court had already issued notice to Sindhuri in the matter. With the High Court refusing to intervene, the defamation case is expected to gather momentum in the trial court in the coming days.