IPS officer Vartika Katiyar accuses senior colleague D Roopa of 'planting' files in her office

Bengaluru: In a sensational allegation, IPS officer Vartika Katiyar has accused her senior colleague D Roopa Moudgil of "planting" files in her office through two subordinates. 

Katiyar, a 2010-batch IPS officer, lodged a written complaint against Roopa, a 2000-batch IPS officer, with Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh on February 20. A copy of the complaint was also sent to Karnataka police chief Alok Mohan. 

DH has reviewed the letter, and multiple well-placed sources have confirmed its authenticity. 

Both officers are currently posted in the Internal Security Division (ISD). Roopa is the Inspector General of Police while Katiyar is the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP). 

In her complaint, Katiyar alleged that two junior police officers — Manjunath TS (head constable) and Mallikarjuna (home guard) — acted at Roopa's behest and "planted" files in her office on September 6, 2024. 

According to Katiyar, Mallikarjuna obtained keys to her room from the control room sentry. Manjunath entered the office, placed the files, took a picture of the office and sent it to Roopa via WhatsApp. 

Katiyar further claimed that her personal assistant, Kiran Kumar, had previously warned Mallikarjuna not to enter her office without informing him. 

She stated that she discovered the matter recently and confronted both Manjunath and Mallikarjuna. 

"They admitted to entering my office room at Roopa's behest and planting the files," Vartika wrote. “Official and confidential documents are stored in my office room. Unauthorised entry, especially after office hours, is a crime,” she added. 

Katiyar suggested that similar "transgressions" may have occurred many times before but only the latest incident had come to her knowledge. 

Katiyar also alleged that Roopa might use unauthorised entry to take revenge against her and warned the senior officer would be held "directly responsible" for any untoward incident happening in her office from now on. 

"She has threatened to take revenge against me once she becomes the DG&IGP. She also threatened to tamper with my annual appraisal," Vartika said and urged the chief secretary to take action against Roopa. 

In February 2023, Roopa made a series of allegations against IAS officer Rohini Sindhuri on social media, releasing her private photographs and calling her a "home-breaker". Sindhuri sued her but the Supreme Court later stayed the proceedings.