Telangana transfers IAS officer who reshared Hyderabad land row AI image

Business Standard

28-04-2025

In a major rejig of the state's bureaucracy, the Telangana government has transferred several at least 20 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers. Among the transferred officers is Smita Sabharwal, who recently stoked a controversy by sharing an AI-generated image connected to the Kancha Gachibowli land dispute.
The bureaucrat had shared a Studio Ghibli-style image related to the disputed land a few weeks ago, which resulted in the Gachibowli police issuing summons to her. The image, which she had posted on her X account, depicted the ongoing land controversy near Hyderabad Central University.
After recording her statement with the police, Sabharwal posted on X, 'The post was reshared by 2,000 individuals on this platform. I sought clarification on whether the same action is initiated for all! If not, this raises concern about selective targeting, that in turn compromises the principles of natural justice and equality before the law.'
Sabharwal's transfer has drawn particular attention, considering her prominence during the previous K Chandrashekar Rao-led Bharat Rashtra Samithi government. Sabharwal was serving as the special chief secretary for youth advancement, tourism and culture (YAT&C), which is looking after the arrangements for the Miss World Beauty pageant 2025.
Sabharwal has been transferred with the contest set to begin in two weeks. She has been reassigned as the member secretary of the Telangana Finance Commission, a position she previously held before her stint in YAT&C.
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Earlier, Sabharwal had questioned the provision of reservations for differently-abled persons in the civil services, which led to a major controversy.
"With all due respect to the Differently Abled. Does an Airline hire a pilot with a disability? Or would you trust a surgeon with a disability? The nature of the #AIS (IAS/IPS/IFoS) is field work, long taxing hours, and listening first-hand to people's grievances-which requires physical fitness. Why does this premier service need this Quota in the first place," Sabharwal said in a post on X.
Her statements came after the controversy over the selection of Puja Khedkar, an ex-trainee IAS officer of Maharashtra cadre, who allegedly availed concessions for physical disability and OBC candidacy fraudulently.