Warring Karnataka women officers transferred without posting

IPS officer D Roopa alleged that IAS officer Sindhuri sent private photos to three IAS officers.

New Delhi | Updated: 21 February, 2023 4:38 pm IST

IPS officer D Roopa and IAS officer Rohini Sindhuri (right).

Two senior woman bureaucrats, who have been squabbling in public over professional conduct, have been removed by the Karnataka government from their posts without any new assignment.

IPS officer D Roopa and IAS officer Rohini Sindhuri have been transferred in a major administrative rejig announced on Tuesday.

While Roopa D was serving as the managing director of the Karnataka State Handicrafts Development Corporation Ltd and Sindhuri was posted as commissioner for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments.

On Monday, Karnataka home minister Araga Jnanendra warned both the office of action over their “bad behaviour”.

For around a week, IPS officer Roopa and IAS’ Sindhuri have been making allegations and counter-allegations over alleged violations of service rules.

The bickering escalated on Sunday when Roopa shared private photos of Sindhuri on Facebook, alleging that she had violated service conduct rules by sending private photos to male IAS officers. She said that Sindhuri had shared pictures with three officers in 2021 and 2022.

On Monday, Roopa met chief secretary Vandita Sharma. “What does it mean when these kind of pictures are sent to male senior officials? This is not a private matter. I am publishing these pictures now because I was able to access it only now,” she told media persons.

She further said, “If I had received it earlier, I would have published. This is not a private matter. I will take this up further. This is a violation of the code of conduct.”

Reacting to her allegations, IAS officer Sindhuri accused Roopa of violating the rules of conduct for civil servants. “She is neither my boss, nor my senior, nor is she the government. She can’t keep on questioning my professional decisions on the public platform. It is not proper for an officer. It’s against the conduct rules,” Sindhuri said.

Roopa has also accused Sindhuri of corruption. In turn, the IAS officer said that Roopa was driving a false vilification campaign against her.

Roopa’s husband Munish Moudgil, also an IAS officer, has been made the principal secretary of the publicity department.