Early Life & Education
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Akun Sabharwal is a 2001-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer from the Telangana cadre. (The New Indian Express)
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Before joining the IPS, he was a dentist by training, having completed his studies in that field. (The New Indian Express)
Career Trajectory
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Sabharwal has held several prominent positions in the Telangana state government:
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Director of Enforcement and Vigilance, Excise Department – He handled major investigations, including a well-publicized drug racket case involving celebrities from the Telugu/Tollywood film industry. (The New Indian Express)
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Commissioner, Civil Supplies Department, Telangana – In April 2018, he took charge of the Civil Supplies Department. (The New Indian Express)
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Additional roles related to Prohibition & Excise enforcement. (The New Indian Express)
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He has also served on central deputation. That is, he was relieved from state duties to serve in an intelligence agency at the Centre in 2019. (The New Indian Express)
Notable Achievements / Roles
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While in excise enforcement, he led a crackdown on drug peddling, which expanded into a larger network affecting schools, colleges, media personalities, actors, etc. Sabharwal’s efforts in forming a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and gathering both documentary and technical evidence were widely noted. (The New Indian Express)
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He is known for being hands-on. In one reported instance, he went, in casual clothes, to a police station over a drug peddler’s uncooperative behavior in order to personally gather information. (The New Indian Express)
Personal Life
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His wife is Smita Sabharwal, a fellow 2001-batch civil servant (IAS). (The New Indian Express)
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They met during training. Their relationship has often been covered in the media as a pairing of two high-performing civil servants. (The New Indian Express)
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They have children. (Names and more details are reported in some profiles of Smita Sabharwal.) (Guide2Success)
Recent Developments
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Return to Telangana: After spending significant time on central deputation, Akun Sabharwal has recently been recalled to his home cadre in Telangana. He reported back to the state government. (Deccan Chronicle)
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The Telangana government is reportedly planning a major reshuffle among IPS officers, including Akun Sabharwal, giving postings to those returning from deputation. (Deccan Chronicle)
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ITBP role: He has been serving as IG (Inspector General) in the ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Police). Some of his recent activities include overseeing border and area security and engaging with local administrations in border states such as Arunachal Pradesh. (RTV Live)
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Arunachal Pradesh Meeting: In September 2024, as IG NE Frontier Headquarters of ITBP, Dr. Akun Sabharwal met with the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh at Raj Bhavan Itanagar. Topics discussed included enhancing border area communication infrastructure, development of border villages, motivating youth, etc. (The Sentinel)
Controversies & Media Attention
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Drug Racket / Tollywood Case (2017): One of the major controversies was the drug racket case in Hyderabad which involved notices to actors, directors, and personalities from the film industry. Sabharwal became a focal figure because of the manner in which the notices were issued under the NDPS Act, with questions around revealing names, media leaks, etc. (The New Indian Express)
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Leave Cancellation / Media Pressure: Around the same period, he had applied for leave for personal reasons (after his mother’s death). However, the media (and public) pressure implied that he might be avoiding or delaying certain portions of the investigation because of powerful interests. Subsequently, he canceled or postponed the leave in view of the drug case’s importance. (Bangalore Mirror)
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Media Leak of Names / Ethical Concerns: During the drug racket investigation, there were leaks / rumors about which celebrities were involved. Sabharwal refused to publicly disclose names of film personalities whose names had come up in the investigation without formal charges, saying doing so was unethical and could be harmful. (The Hans India)
Challenges & Criticisms
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Some criticisms / controversies were more about process & media management than about gross misconduct:
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Questions about whether all people who were issued notices or whose names were in call records were treated equally in terms of media exposure. (The Indian Express)
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Pressure from various quarters (political, media, film industry) during sensitive investigations. (Bangalore Mirror)
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Recent News (2024-2025)
Here are the more current happenings related to him:
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As of April 2025, he and other senior IPS officers have returned to Telangana from central deputation. (Deccan Chronicle)
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The Telangana government is planning IPS reshuffle, and Sabharwal is among those awaiting posting after returning. (Deccan Chronicle)
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As part of his duties with ITBP, there have been border region visits and operational reviews (e.g. security and communication infrastructure improvement in border areas). (RTV Live)
Strengths & Reputation
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Sabharwal is generally seen in media reports as an upright and proactive officer who takes on difficult tasks with visibility.
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His handling of the drug racket earned him both praise and criticism, showing his willingness to step into politically sensitive arenas.
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He tends to stick to procedural rigor: issues of notice, avoiding naming suspects prematurely, maintaining ethics in what’s made public.
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His return to state cadre suggests that the current government values his experience and expects him to handle serious responsibilities (possibly enforcement / vigilance / law & order).
Interesting Facts
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He and his wife, Smita Sabharwal, are both from the 2001 batch, the former in IPS, the latter in IAS, making them a notable bureaucratic couple in Telangana. (The New Indian Express)
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His academic background as a dentist is unusual for police officers; rarely do we see law & order officers with medical/dental professional degrees. (The New Indian Express)
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Regarding border work: In his role in the ITBP, he has engaged with communities in border states, emphasizing things like communication, youth motivation, local involvement and infrastructural improvements. (The Sentinel)
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about Akun Sabharwal, IPS:
Question | Answer |
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What is Akun Sabharwal’s current position? | As of early/mid-2025, he has returned from central deputation to Telangana cadre. He has held the role of IG, ITBP, and now is awaiting or being given new assignment under the state’s IPS reshuffle. (RTV Live) |
What major cases is he known for? | The Telangana / Hyderabad drug racket case (2017) involving film personalities; enforcing vigilance and excise laws; enforcing prohibition and excise enforcement duties; civil supplies administration. (The New Indian Express) |
Has he been involved in any personal controversy? | Not major in terms of allegations of wrongdoing. But the drug case raised questions of naming celebrities, media leaks. Also, being under media scrutiny during that period. Also there has been political interest in his transfers / deputations. (Bangalore Mirror) |
What is his connection with Smita Sabharwal? | They are married. Both in the 2001 batch, Smita is an IAS officer. Their careers often intersect in public attention owing to their seniority and postings in Telangana. (The New Indian Express) |
Why was he recalled to Telangana from central deputation? | Reports suggest the government wants to strengthen enforcement, vigilance, and anti-drug initiatives in the state. His return is part of a larger reshuffle among senior IPS officers. (RTV Live) |
How does he deal with media during sensitive cases? | He has in past refused to reveal names prematurely, avoided unverified media leaks, emphasized evidence, compliance with legal standards (NDPS, etc). (The Hans India) |
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