New Delhi, Apr 7 (PTI): The NHRC has issued a notice to the Health Ministry, FSSAI and Delhi Police following a complaint that “action” was taken against “whistleblowers” who had raised their voice against alleged wrongdoing in the larger public interest, according to the proceedings of the case.
The rights panel also sought an action taken report within two weeks.
The complainant in the case has claimed that some persons submitted “fraudulent” documents during the recruitment process and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) also conducted an “internal inquiry” into the case and found them “guilty”.
The complainant also claimed that the portion of the inquiry report which was shared, was done “without any addition, alteration, or personal interpretation, and it was disseminated in good faith and without any intention to act maliciously or to malign the reputation of any person,” the proceedings says.
The complainant also alleged that an FIR in March 2026 was registered “against them” (people raising the issue) for reporting findings as recorded in an official internal inquiry report, it says.
When asked about the case, NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo on Tuesday said one of the “whistleblowers” — a person who had raised the issue of “irregularity” through a social media post — approached the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) with a complaint, alleging that a police case has been slapped against persons who raised this issue.
The complainant has alleged that “they are whistleblowers”, who raised their voice against corruption and wrongdoing in the larger public interest, the proceedings says.
A bench of the NHRC, presided over by Kanoongo, took cognisance of the matter under Section 12 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.
The allegations made in the complaint, prima facie, seem to be “violations” of the human rights of the complainant, reads the proceedings dated April 7, the bench observed.
“The Registry is directed to issue a notice to the CEO, FSSAI, New Delhi, the secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, New Delhi and the DCP, Central Delhi, with directions to get the allegations made in the complaint inquired into,” it said.
The NHRC has asked the Central Delhi DCP to “ensure that the identity and details of the whistle blower(s)/complainants are not disclosed and their safety, security and privacy are duly protected, particularly in accordance with the provisions of the Whistle Blowers Protection Act, 2014”.
Further, the DCP was directed to “ensure that the inquiry report of the committee constituted by the FSSAI is “made part of the investigation”, as the FIR “appears to have been registered on the basis of an alleged leak of details/documents of the said inquiry report,” the proceedings added.
Earlier this month, Delhi Police in a statement said, they received a complaint from an FSSAI representative on March 12, flagging the circulation of the organisation’s official documents, which are possibly tampered with, across social media platforms.
Delhi Police has registered an FIR against some social media influencers and other unidentified persons over alleged unauthorised circulation of these official documents of the FSSAI.
In the complaint received by the police, it was alleged that some influencers and unidentified persons, possibly in connivance with insiders, may have been involved in spreading the content “to create distrust and harm the organisation’s reputation”.
Police had said that as part of the investigation, they were preserving digital evidence related to the case.
The statement noted that police have also issued notices to social media platforms, including microblogging site X, seeking details of the accounts that shared and amplified the content.
According to the NHRC proceedings of the case, the secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has been directed to submit a report on whether the FSSAI has constituted any internal inquiry against the alleged employees in respect of irregular or malicious procedures adopted in the selection process of candidates; and what action, if any, has been taken thus far against the said employees involved in the selection process.
The NHRC has asked the FSSAI CEO to furnish the outcome of the internal inquiry (said confidential report/details) conducted in the matter, if any, along with a copy thereof for perusal of the Commission, the proceedings says. PTI KND RT PRK
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