Submitting a preliminary report to the court on behalf of the police, Senior Advocate Menaka Guruswamy Guruswamy alleged that the case was being distorted through fake news, which she argued was “being used to break up the social fabric”.
Published Apr 07, 2025 | 6:36 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 07, 2025 | 6:36 PM
Synopsis: The Telangana government has decided to take action against AI-generated and morphed content allegedly fuelling public concern over its plan to auction 400 acres of forested land in Kancha Gachibowli. Officials have labelled the outrage and protests against the planned auction of the ecologically sensitive area a “fabricated controversy”, driven by morphed videos and images.
The Telangana government has announced plans to take action against those circulating morphed, AI-generated videos and images linked to the Kancha Gachibowli controversy.
On Monday, 7 April, Senior Advocate Menaka Guruswamy submitted a preliminary report to the Telangana High Court on behalf of the police.
A two-judge bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Renuka Yara, was hearing multiple petitions against the government’s proposed plan to auction off 400 acres of ecologically sensitive forested land within the University of Hyderabad (UoH) campus.
Guruswamy told the court she was presenting the preliminary report to highlight the issue of fake news. She alleged that the case was being distorted through fake news, which she argued was “being used to break up the social fabric”.
The petition follows directions by Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, issued during a review meeting with officials on Saturday.
However, the court noted that Guruswamy was not a petitioner in the case and directed her to file a counter with her submissions. Meanwhile, counsel for the Union government informed the bench that the Centre had asked the state to submit a report on the matter.
During the review meeting on Saturday at the Dr BR Ambedkar State Secretariat, Revanth Reddy claimed that AI-generated videos and photographs posed a threat “more severe than the coronavirus pandemic”.
Officials also raised concerns over what they described as a “fabricated controversy” surrounding alleged encroachments on University of Hyderabad land.
They said developments over the past 25 years – including the Indian School of Business, Gachibowli Stadium, International Institute of Information Technology, private buildings, residential apartments, and UoH facilities – had all taken place in Survey Number 25 of Kancha Gachibowli without controversy.
They noted that issues relating to wildlife conservation or environmental degradation had not arisen previously.
Officials questioned why the current development of 400 acres of government land in the same survey number had become contentious.
They said individuals had circulated AI-generated videos and images on social media depicting events that never occurred, sparking a national debate. Among the examples cited were audio clips said to contain the cries of peacocks, and visuals of deer allegedly injured by bulldozers – content described as deliberately fabricated.
Prominent public figures, believing the content to be genuine, reportedly shared it on social media.
Officials also noted at the meeting that Union Minister Kishan Reddy, former minister Jagadish Reddy, social media influencer Dhruv Rathee, and film actors John Abraham, Dia Mirza, and Raveena Tandon had posted the videos and images, unintentionally contributing to the spread of misinformation.
The Chief Minister directed officials to strengthen the state’s Cyber Crime Department to tackle the issue. He also ordered the acquisition of advanced forensic tools to detect AI-generated content.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka, Ministers Seethakka and Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Chief Secretary Shanti Kumari, Director General of Police Jitender, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests RM Dobriyal, Managing Director of the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Vishnuvardhan Reddy, and officials from the Forest Department.
Meanwhile, the Telangana High Court adjourned the hearing on petitions related to the felling of trees in the Kancha Gachibowli area, noting that the state had not yet filed its counter.
The bench was hearing multiple petitions opposing the auction plan, including one from the Vata Foundation, one from retired scientist Kalapala Babu Rao, and a third from students claiming the land belonged to UoH.
Senior Advocate S Niranjan Reddy, representing the Vata Foundation, pointed out that the Supreme Court was already examining a report submitted by the High Court’s registrar on 3 April.
On the same day, the High Court had directed the state to file its counter. Reddy questioned whether the High Court would now defer to the apex court, which has issued an interim order protecting the land.
The bench observed that since petitioners were awaiting directions from the Supreme Court, it would take up the matter after the court vacation.
The Supreme Court had taken up the matter suo motu on 3 April and directed the Chief Secretary of Telangana to file an affidavit. It sought details on the urgency of the development, whether environmental assessments had been conducted, if Forest Department permission had been obtained, and why certain officials were included in the state-appointed committee.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
