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WhatsApp Leaks: India Inc Faces New Disclosure Risks
23 Jan
Summary
- Hatsun Agro and ICICI Lombard reported accidental WhatsApp status leaks.
- Senior executives inadvertently shared draft financial results.
- SEBI regulations prohibit insider trading of price-sensitive information.
Two prominent Indian companies, Hatsun Agro Product Ltd and ICICI Lombard General Insurance, have recently disclosed incidents involving the inadvertent leak of price-sensitive information through WhatsApp statuses. These events underscore new challenges for market regulators and listed entities concerning selective disclosures.
On January 4, 2026, a key managerial personnel at Hatsun Agro posted a draft of the company's third-quarter results on their personal WhatsApp status, which was seen by approximately 19 contacts. A week later, on January 9, 2026, a designated person at ICICI Lombard committed a similar error, uploading draft financial details to their status before deleting it within an hour.
Both companies promptly reported these occurrences to the stock exchanges, treating them as potential leaks of Unpublished Price Sensitive Information (UPSI). These actions align with SEBI (Prohibition of Insider Trading) Regulations, which strictly govern the dissemination and use of such information that could impact stock prices. The incidents serve as a caution to investors against relying on unofficial information.
