SEBI to probe data leaks via WhatsApp

The markets regulator is "seriously" looking into the complaints about some individuals allegedly circulating key financial details and other market moving information about listed companies on social media groups before they are made officially public.

Securities and Exchange Board chairman Ajay Tyagi today confirmed that the regulator has come to know of instances wherein price-sensitive financial data of reputed companies was leaked to right before the earnings were formally made public.

"We are taking that (WhatsApp leaks) very



seriously.

How come such messages about reputed listed companies are leaked quite close to the financial results is something we are not going to sit quietly on," Tyagi told reporters on the sidelines of an investment banking summit here.

As reported by PTI earlier, Sebi and the exchanges are examining trade details of over two dozen stocks as part of a probe into the alleged leak of key financial details through social media platform WhatsApp. The regulator is also considering seeking call data records of the persons involved.