Telangana Transfers IAS Officer Who Reshared AI Image in Hyderabad Land Row

Senior IAS officer Smita Sabharwal, who recently faced police questioning for resharing an AI-generated image related to alleged tree-cutting near Hyderabad Central University, has been transferred by the Telangana government as part of a routine administrative reshuffle involving 20 officers.

Ms. Sabharwal, a 2001-batch officer, had posted the Ghibli-style AI image to highlight concerns over deforestation on a 400-acre plot in the Kanchanagachibowli area. After being summoned by Cyberabad police, she questioned the “selective targeting,” pointing out that thousands of others had shared the same content. Previously serving as Special Chief Secretary for Youth Advancement, Tourism & Culture and Director of Archaeology, she has now been appointed as Member Secretary, Telangana Finance Commission—a position she held before her 2024 transfer. The government has not linked her transfer to the social media controversy.