The Supreme Court on Friday referred the long-running defamation dispute between IAS officer Rohini Sindhuri and IPS officer Roopa Divakar Moudgil to mediation, observing that both are accomplished officers and that their continued litigation was harming their careers. The Court appointed former Supreme Court judge Justice Kurian Josephas the mediator to facilitate an amicable resolution.

A Bench of Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva noted that the dispute had resulted in case and counter-case proceedings, with both officers alleging defamation against each other. During the hearing, Senior Advocate Dama Sheshadri informed the Court that they were willing to explore an amicable settlement if facilitated by the Court.

Senior counsel submitted that earlier judicial efforts had also been made to encourage the parties to bury the hatchet and move on, rather than continue multiple proceedings arising out of the same controversy.

Taking note of the parties’ willingness, the Bench observed that the matter appeared fit for mediation and referred it to the Supreme Court Mediation Centre, appointing Justice Kurian Joseph as the mediator.

The Court directed that the parties appear before the mediator on the scheduled date and further ordered that no precipitative steps be taken in the pending proceedings during the mediation process, so as to provide a conducive atmosphere for settlement.

Expressing hope that the dispute could be amicably resolved, the Bench encouraged both parties to utilise the mediation process to bring an end to the ongoing litigation.