Karnataka High Court has paved way for IPS D Roopa Moudgil’s promotion
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has cleared a significant hurdle in the promotion of senior IPS officer D Roopa Moudgil, directing her to submit a fresh application for the post of Additional Director General of Police (ADGP). The court has also asked the state government to process her application within two months in accordance with applicable rules.
Roopa, a 2000-batch IPS officer of the Karnataka cadre, is currently facing a criminal defamation case filed by IAS officer Rohini Sindhuri (2009 batch). Sindhuri had objected to Roopa’s promotion, citing the pending case. However, the court clarified that the matter is personal in nature and does not fall within the scope of professional service-related decisions.
Delivering the judgment, Justice M. Nagaprasanna held that the ongoing defamation proceedings should not influence the promotion process. He emphasized that promotions are governed by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), and the process remains confidential under existing rules.
The court further noted that both the Advocate General and the State Law Department had confirmed that the dispute between the two officers was a personal issue and did not impact their official duties or service conditions.
The bench concluded that the decision on Roopa’s promotion rests solely with the DoPT and the officer herself, and that Sindhuri had no locus standi to obstruct the process. Consequently, the petition filed by Ms. Sindhuri was dismissed.
This ruling now enables Ms. Roopa Moudgil to move forward in her career, subject to the standard assessment and vetting procedures.
