NHRC's Priyank Kanoongo Calls for Investigation into FSSAI Document Leak
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
New Delhi, April 4 (NationPress) Priyank Kanoongo, a member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), urged the Delhi Police to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the leakage of confidential official documents from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). This includes understanding how a private internal inquiry report ended up with an individual who reportedly has faced accusations of misconduct.
In a recent post on X addressing the alleged data breach, Kanoongo pointed out that this same individual had lodged a complaint with the Delhi Police. “We are closely monitoring the situation. Justice will be served,” he affirmed.
The Delhi Police registered an FIR in response to a complaint from an authorized FSSAI representative on March 12, 2026, at the I.P. Estate police station. The case is focused on unauthorized access, leakage, and dissemination of official documents—some of which are reportedly manipulated or misleading—across social media platforms.
The FIR has been filed under Section 316 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for criminal breach of trust and Section 72 of the Information Technology Act.
Currently, investigations are underway to locate those accountable for the breach and the subsequent spread of these documents. The police have issued notices to social media platforms to obtain account details and are actively working to preserve digital evidence.
This leak has raised alarms regarding potential internal collusion and efforts to tarnish the reputation of FSSAI, India’s supreme food regulatory authority. Some reports indicate a coordinated effort from social media influencers and others aimed at fostering distrust in the organization.
Kanoongo’s comments come amid intensifying scrutiny over the incident. He stressed the necessity for the police to investigate not just the leak itself but also the lapses that permitted confidential inquiry reports to reach individuals facing allegations.
The NHRC member’s remarks indicate that the human rights organization is vigilantly overseeing the investigation to ensure transparency and accountability in addressing this sensitive issue.
The purported FSSAI data breach has sparked broader inquiries about the security of official documents within government regulatory agencies and the imperative for stricter protections against internal leaks and external exploitation.