A case has been registered over a data leak at the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), with officials saying the probe is aimed at finding an insider who leaked confidential documents, not targeting the media.
According to government sources, the FIR filed by Delhi Police is focused on identifying the source of the leak of sensitive documents linked to an ongoing internal inquiry.
Officials said the leak of such documents is a serious breach of trust, and the person responsible is believed to be from within the organisation. The investigation is currently underway to trace how the documents were accessed and shared.
The leaked documents relate to an internal probe into recruitment carried out in 2021 for posts like director, joint director and deputy director. Complaints about these appointments surfaced in 2025, after which FSSAI started its own inquiry in December. The investigation is still ongoing and no final report has been submitted yet.
Authorities suspect that parts of the inquiry were leaked and circulated on social media, raising concerns about confidentiality during an active investigation. Officials warned that such leaks could affect the probe by alerting those involved before action is taken.
The FIR was registered at IP Estate Police Station based on a complaint by FSSAI official Dr Sanjay Kumar. It names several social media handles accused of sharing confidential and possibly altered documents online.
Police said these accounts were part of a coordinated effort to spread internal documents and criticise the regulator. Some of the shared material is also suspected to have been edited or manipulated.
As part of the investigation, notices have been issued to the account holders, asking them to provide details and documents. Police are examining both the origin of the leak and how the information was circulated.
Government sources have clearly stated that the action is not against journalists or media organisations, but only against those who illegally accessed and shared sensitive internal records.
Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken note of the issue and sent a notice to the Health Ministry, FSSAI and Delhi Police. This comes after a complaint claimed that action was taken against whistleblowers who raised concerns in public interest.
The NHRC has asked for a detailed report within two weeks.
