AI to fake clean-ups, GPS spoofing to skip work: 4 Gurugram civic staffers sacked
Four contractual civic employees in Gurugram were terminated after using AI-generated images and other techniques to falsely show that garbage had been cleared, despite never visiting the locations.
Four contractual employees of the Gurugram Municipal Corporation (MCG), who were tasked with garbage clearance and other civic duties, chose not to perform their assigned work and instead attempted to mislead authorities using AI-generated visuals and images to show garbage-cleared areas that were. In reality, the areas were still covered in waste. They also allegedly employed techniques such as GPS spoofing to bypass attendance monitoring and engage in other forms of misconduct.
All four employees have now been terminated by the authorities.
According to Municipal Commissioner Pradeep Dahiya, a sanitation department employee identified as Wasim allegedly used artificial intelligence tools to generate fake images and uploaded them on the official portal as proof of having addressed complaints related to garbage clearance and sanitation issues. Officials said he never visited the locations concerned.
In another case, a contractual employee named Sonu allegedly used GPS spoofing technology to manipulate his location data and mark attendance in Gurugram while reportedly being nearly 50 kilometres away in Jhajjar, officials said.
The civic body also found irregularities in the functioning of two other employees in the property tax department, Neeraj Vashisth and Ankur Arora. They were accused of raising unnecessary objections in property ID-related cases and failing to follow the prescribed standard operating procedures (SOPs).
The MCG subsequently terminated the services of all four contractual employees.
Dahiya said the corporation's digital monitoring systems were able to detect the alleged misuse of technology and other violations. He noted that the software used by the civic body is designed to identify suspicious activities and attempts to manipulate official records.
The commissioner added that the MCG does not rely solely on digital submissions and regularly carries out physical verification of work on the ground to ensure the accuracy of reports uploaded by employees.
Officials said the action serves as a warning against the misuse of technology in public administration and underscores the corporation's efforts to strengthen accountability and transparency in civic governance.
Four contractual employees of the Gurugram Municipal Corporation (MCG), who were tasked with garbage clearance and other civic duties, chose not to perform their assigned work and instead attempted to mislead authorities using AI-generated visuals and images to show garbage-cleared areas that were. In reality, the areas were still covered in waste. They also allegedly employed techniques such as GPS spoofing to bypass attendance monitoring and engage in other forms of misconduct.
All four employees have now been terminated by the authorities.
According to Municipal Commissioner Pradeep Dahiya, a sanitation department employee identified as Wasim allegedly used artificial intelligence tools to generate fake images and uploaded them on the official portal as proof of having addressed complaints related to garbage clearance and sanitation issues. Officials said he never visited the locations concerned.
In another case, a contractual employee named Sonu allegedly used GPS spoofing technology to manipulate his location data and mark attendance in Gurugram while reportedly being nearly 50 kilometres away in Jhajjar, officials said.
The civic body also found irregularities in the functioning of two other employees in the property tax department, Neeraj Vashisth and Ankur Arora. They were accused of raising unnecessary objections in property ID-related cases and failing to follow the prescribed standard operating procedures (SOPs).
The MCG subsequently terminated the services of all four contractual employees.
Dahiya said the corporation's digital monitoring systems were able to detect the alleged misuse of technology and other violations. He noted that the software used by the civic body is designed to identify suspicious activities and attempts to manipulate official records.
The commissioner added that the MCG does not rely solely on digital submissions and regularly carries out physical verification of work on the ground to ensure the accuracy of reports uploaded by employees.
Officials said the action serves as a warning against the misuse of technology in public administration and underscores the corporation's efforts to strengthen accountability and transparency in civic governance.
