Think AI can hide the truth? How 2 Gurugram municipal workers lost their jobs over digital fraud

The municipal corporation of Gurugram on Wednesday terminated two contractual assistant sanitary inspectors after internal probes found one had uploaded an AI-edited “after” photograph to close a garbage complaint, while the other used GPS-spoofing software to mark attendance from home.

AI-manipulated image 

According to MCG orders reviewed by The Indian Express, assistant sanitary inspector Waseem was assigned to clear a mound of garbage on temple land near Kherki Daula village. Instead of performing the cleanup, Waseem allegedly edited original site photographs “through AI-based tools” and uploaded the fabricated image to the official grievance portal on April 7 to show a supposedly clean, uniformly paved area.

The order says Waseem “deliberately uploaded AI-manipulated photographs on the grievance portal to falsely show that the complaint had been resolved, whereas the complaint remained unattended.” During a personal hearing on July 1, the official admitted to the forgery, the corporation said.

GPS spoofing to fake attendance 

In a separate probe, an assistant sanitary inspector, Sonu, was found absent from his duty location during a field inspection on April 9, yet recorded as present on MCG’s sanitation monitoring system portal. When contacted, Sonu admitted he was at home. The internal inquiry reportedly uncovered use of unauthorised third‑party apps, including Fly GPS, to spoof location and fraudulently mark attendance.
The termination order states Sonu “intentionally created a false digital attendance record to mislead… authorities despite not discharging his official duties.” Sonu also admitted using the spoofing application during his hearing.

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'Grave misconduct' by public servants

MCG Commissioner Pradeep Dahiya’s orders cited “grave misconduct, fraud, dishonesty” and behaviour unbecoming of public servants. Both employees—contractual staff deployed via Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam Limited (HKRNL)—were relieved of duty with immediate effect on July 1.

Copies of the termination orders have been forwarded to the CEO of HKRNL with a formal request to terminate their deployment, the corporation said.