| Controversies |
• Fought for premature transfer On 14 July 2017, Rohini took the charge of the deputy commissioner of the Hassan district in Karnataka. Even though the minimum tenure for a deputy commissioner is two years, Rohini, within seven months of her appointment, was issued the transfer orders on 22 January 2018. Reportedly, the reason behind receiving the orders of her transfer prematurely was her alleged feud with the Indian politician A Manju, which occurred while granting the contract of construction for the event of Mahamastakabhisheka, held in Shravanabelagola, Karnataka. As per the media sources, the tiff between the two rose when Rohini gave the contract to the Public Works Department (PWD). On the contrary, Manju wanted the contract to be awarded to the Karnataka Road Development Corporation Limited (KRDCL). After Rohini appealed to the Election Commission (EC) about her premature transfer, the orders for her transfer were put on hold. On the contrary, within two days, another transfer order was issued to Rohini by the state government following which Rohini approached the Karnataka High Court. After fighting the case for almost five months, Rohini was reinstated as the deputy commissioner of Hassan on 25 June 2018. check sources The New Indian Express • Locked the district in-charge minister’s office During Rohini’s tenure as the deputy commissioner of Hassan, Rohini, on 31 March 2018, stoked controversy when she issued orders to lock down the office of the Indian politician A Manju, located at the PWD Inspection Bungalow. His office, which was supposed to be unoccupied, had some female workers, who were working to clear some pending work, behind closed doors. Consequently, a case was registered against Manju for breaching the Model Code of Conduct and a notice was issued to him, seeking an explanation regarding the use of government space for election work. check sources The Times of India • Accused of harassment and humiliation Shilpa Nag, an IAS officer, announced her resignation on 3 June 2021, after she was targeted by Rohini Sindhuri for not performing the duties assigned to her as the commissioner of Mysuru City Corporation (MCC). Shilpa, while addressing the reporters, claimed that Rohini constantly embarrassed her and the MCC staff members for not accomplishing the work allotted to them. On the contrary, Rohini claimed the allegations as baseless and stated that she only asked for the documents related to the allocation of funds for Covid relief, which did not constitute any form of harassment. As a consequence, both the IAS officers received their transfer orders from the Karnataka government after they refused to settle their dispute. Sindhuri joined the Department of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments as a commissioner, who earlier served as the Mysuru Deputy Commissioner, whereas Shilpa was appointed as the director of E-governance in Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department. Talking about how Rohini humiliated her at the workplace, Shilpa said, There is harassment and humiliation by the DC. I have had no mental peace, no proper sleep and no food for the past week. I have had enough. No district or city should have such an officer. She has been humiliating MCC staff and has threatened to suspend them.” [](https://theprint.in/india/governance/inside-story-of-how-two-ias-officers-squabbled-as-covid-was-crushing-mysuru/676438/) check sources The Print • Defamation case filed by S. R. Mahesh S. R. Mahesh, an Indian politician and a Member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from Krishnarajanagara constituency, filed a civil and criminal defamation case against Rohini Sindhuri in September 2022, for accusing him falsely in an illegal land-grabbing case. Mahesh alleged that Rohini passed disrespectful statements against him, eventually defaming him and damaging his political career. Mahesh, through the case, demanded an apology in writing and compensation of Rs 1 crore. check sources The New Indian Express • Alleged of misusing state resources Lucky Ali, an Indian singer, accused Rohini Sindhuri and her husband, Sudhir Reddy, of allegedly assisting the land mafia in illegally capturing his farmhouse in December 2022. Ali claimed that his farmhouse was a trust property, situated at Kenchenahalli, Yelahanka, Bengaluru. He alleged that Rohini helped her husband in illegally seizing his property and forging the authentic documents of the farmhouse. Lucky, in his complaint, talked about Rohini's alleged involvement in the matter, which read, My farm which is a Trust Property located in Kenchenahalli Yelahanka is being encroached on illegally by Sudhir Reddy (and Madhu Reddy) from the Bangalore land mafia, with the help of his wife who is an IAS officer by the name of Rohini Sindhuri. They are misusing state resources for their personal gain. They are forcibly and illegally coming inside my farm and refusing to show the relevant documents." check sources The Times of India On the contrary, Rohini's husband, Sudhir Reddy claimed the accusations as groundless and said that the farmhouse was not owned by Lucky Ali. Rohini, in an interview, addressed Ali's allegations as baseless and stated that she was unnecessarily dragged into the matter. She said, I have nothing to do with the property and the said land was purchased by my brother-in-law Madhusudhan Reddy before my marriage to Sudhir Reddy. I am unduly being dragged in with ulterior motives in a matter I have no role at all. It is done with an intention to malign and cause disrepute to me and gain public sympathy. I will file a defamation suit against the singer. There is an injunction against Lucky Ali and his statements are contemptuous. It is unfortunate that Ali is misusing his celebrity status and throwing mud at me." check sources The Times of India • Spat between D. Roopa and Rohini Sindhuri In February 2023, two senior women bureaucrats, D. Roopa (Karnataka State Handicrafts Development Corporation Managing Director) and Rohini Sindhuri (Muzrai Deputy Commissioner) locked horns over social media posts. In two long posts, D Roopa made personal remarks against Rohini Sindhuri and accused her of corruption. However, Sindhuri termed the allegations baseless and said that D Roopa made the allegations out of personal hatred. In her posts, D Roopa attached personal photographs of Rohini, which Rohini had sent to various IAS officers, citing the violation of the service code of conduct. Additionally, Roopa laid 19 allegations on Rohini including corruption accusations. While addressing the media reporters regarding the allegations she made against Rohini, Roopa said, 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. 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.” check sources NDTV While responding to D Roopa's accusations, Sindhuri said, The photos are screenshots and picked from social media posts/ WhatsApp status and used to scandalise me. It is her (Ms. Roopa) standard modus operandi. She has done it in every place she has worked. She has always craved for media attention. I will take legal and other actions with appropriate authorities for her actions amounting to misconduct and criminal offences under various sections of IPC.” check sources The Hindu |