Telangana Transfers IAS Officer Over AI Image in Land Row

Senior IAS officer Smita Sabharwal, recently summoned by police for reposting an AI-generated image, has been transferred. She was among 20 officers moved by the Telangana government on Sunday amid a reshuffle. Ms Sabharwal had appeared before Cyberabad police last week and questioned the “selective targeting” by authorities.

The 2001-batch IAS officer asked whether similar action was taken against 2,000 others who reshared the same post. Ms Sabharwal, earlier Special Chief Secretary for Youth Advancement, Tourism & Culture, was reassigned to Telangana Finance Commission. She previously held the Member Secretary post before her transfer to Youth Advancement, Tourism & Culture in November 2024.

Under the earlier BRS government, she served as Secretary to the Chief Minister and held considerable power. After Congress assumed power, she was removed from the Chief Minister’s Office and reassigned to the Finance Commission.

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Telangana reshuffles senior IAS officers across key departments including ITE&C, YAT&C, SPEED, and GHMC.

Jayesh Ranjan, Special Chief Secretary, ITE&C and Sports Department, is transferred as Special Chief Secretary & CEO, Industry & Investment Cell and SPEED. The 1992-batch IAS officer also receives additional charge as Special Chief Secretary, YAT&C Department and Director, Archaeology.

Sanjay Kumar, Special Chief Secretary, LET&F Department, is posted as Special Chief Secretary, Industries & Commerce, and ITE&C and Sports Department. Dr. Shashank Goel, Director General of Dr MCR HRD Institute, has been transferred and posted as Vice Chairman, Centre for Good Governance.

He also receives full additional charge as Director General, EPTRI, relieving Ahmad Nadeem from the additional responsibility.

M. Dana Kishore, earlier Principal Secretary of MA&UD Department, is posted as Principal Secretary of the LET&F Department. He will also hold full additional charge as Commissioner, Labour; Director, Insurance Medical Services; and Director, Employment & Training.

Dana Kishore continues holding full additional charge as Principal Secretary to the Governor of Telangana. Ilambarithi K., Commissioner of GHMC, is now posted as Secretary, Metropolitan Area & Urban Development Department covering HMDA limits. RV Karnan, Director of Health and Family Welfare, will take charge as the new Commissioner of the GHMC.

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TK Sreedevi, Commissioner and Director of Municipal Administration, is posted as Secretary, Municipal Administration Department, for areas outside HMDA limits. She will continue holding full additional charge for municipalities and corporations outside the Outer Ring Road (ORR) region.

EV Narsimha Reddy, Director of School Education, is posted as Additional CEO, Industry & Investment Cell & SPEED. He is also given full additional charge as Managing Director, Musi River Development Corporation Ltd (MRDCL), relieving Dana Kishore.