Several influencers in alleged FSSAI "smear campaign"
Following complaints by a senior FSSAI official, Delhi police has issued notices to several influencers.
The First Information Report (FIR), filed by an Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) official, on behalf of the regulator, has triggered a police investigation into what officials describe as a large-scale campaign involving digital platforms, leaked documents, and possible cross-border elements.
The case, lodged at Delhi’s IP Estate police station ten days ago, centres on accusations that multiple social media accounts systematically circulated misleading content targeting the FSSAI, sources said.
Authorities claim that these posts were not isolated expressions of criticism but part of an organised attempt to erode public confidence in the national food regulator.
At the core of the FIR is the allegation that influencers and other actors accessed and shared confidential internal documents belonging to the FSSAI without authorisation.
The profiles on microblogging site X against whom FIR has been launched include @NalinisKitche, @Khurpenchh, gemsofbabus_, @YKTDIndia and @IamTheStory.
Food vlogger Nalini Unagar, the person behind the handle @NalinisKitchen, had a few days back, raised concern over FSSAI’s failure to curb the issue around rise of fake food items and questioned the appointment of a particular officer in the authority, like some others also named in the FIR.
India Today has reached out to the FSSAI with queries on the development. This copy will be updated if and when a reply is received.
'COORDINATED ONLINE CAMPAIGN'
Investigators suspect that some of these documents may have been tampered with or selectively edited before being posted online to amplify allegations against the organisation.
Officials have further indicated that the dissemination of such material may have involved the assistance of insiders, raising concerns about breaches of confidentiality within the regulatory body itself.
The FIR outlines the possibility that internal documents were extracted and circulated in collaboration with external actors, pointing to a more complex network behind the campaign.
The scale and pattern of the online activity have also drawn scrutiny. According to investigators, numerous posts critical of the FSSAI appeared in a coordinated manner across multiple accounts, suggesting an orchestrated effort rather than spontaneous commentary.
Authorities believe that this activity may have been designed to create widespread distrust regarding food safety standards in India. Adding another dimension to the probe are suspicions of foreign involvement, sources said.
The FIR notes that some of the accounts under investigation may be operating from outside India, and authorities are examining whether external funding or international interests played a role in amplifying the campaign.
The possibility that such efforts could benefit competing business entities, particularly those lacking regulatory approval, is also being explored. Delhi Police have begun collecting digital evidence and have reached out to social media platform X to obtain detailed information about the accounts in question, sources in the FSSAI said.
This includes registration data, IP logs, session histories, and other identifiers that could help trace the individuals behind the posts.
PROBE INTO LEAKS
The FIR invokes provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act, indicating that investigators are treating the matter as both a criminal breach of trust and a case involving misuse of digital platforms.
The focus of the inquiry includes verifying the authenticity of the circulated documents, identifying any manipulation, and determining the extent of coordination among those involved.
The controversy has also sparked debate over the implications of legal action against online commentators, especially those who raise concerns about public institutions.
However, authorities maintain that the case is centred on the alleged illegal acquisition and dissemination of sensitive material, rather than mere criticism.
As the investigation progresses, officials are expected to examine financial trails, digital linkages, and potential international connections to establish whether the alleged campaign was part of a broader strategy to influence public perception and market dynamics.
The First Information Report (FIR), filed by an Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) official, on behalf of the regulator, has triggered a police investigation into what officials describe as a large-scale campaign involving digital platforms, leaked documents, and possible cross-border elements.
The case, lodged at Delhi’s IP Estate police station ten days ago, centres on accusations that multiple social media accounts systematically circulated misleading content targeting the FSSAI, sources said.
Authorities claim that these posts were not isolated expressions of criticism but part of an organised attempt to erode public confidence in the national food regulator.
At the core of the FIR is the allegation that influencers and other actors accessed and shared confidential internal documents belonging to the FSSAI without authorisation.
The profiles on microblogging site X against whom FIR has been launched include @NalinisKitche, @Khurpenchh, gemsofbabus_, @YKTDIndia and @IamTheStory.
Food vlogger Nalini Unagar, the person behind the handle @NalinisKitchen, had a few days back, raised concern over FSSAI’s failure to curb the issue around rise of fake food items and questioned the appointment of a particular officer in the authority, like some others also named in the FIR.
India Today has reached out to the FSSAI with queries on the development. This copy will be updated if and when a reply is received.
'COORDINATED ONLINE CAMPAIGN'
Investigators suspect that some of these documents may have been tampered with or selectively edited before being posted online to amplify allegations against the organisation.
Officials have further indicated that the dissemination of such material may have involved the assistance of insiders, raising concerns about breaches of confidentiality within the regulatory body itself.
The FIR outlines the possibility that internal documents were extracted and circulated in collaboration with external actors, pointing to a more complex network behind the campaign.
The scale and pattern of the online activity have also drawn scrutiny. According to investigators, numerous posts critical of the FSSAI appeared in a coordinated manner across multiple accounts, suggesting an orchestrated effort rather than spontaneous commentary.
Authorities believe that this activity may have been designed to create widespread distrust regarding food safety standards in India. Adding another dimension to the probe are suspicions of foreign involvement, sources said.
The FIR notes that some of the accounts under investigation may be operating from outside India, and authorities are examining whether external funding or international interests played a role in amplifying the campaign.
The possibility that such efforts could benefit competing business entities, particularly those lacking regulatory approval, is also being explored. Delhi Police have begun collecting digital evidence and have reached out to social media platform X to obtain detailed information about the accounts in question, sources in the FSSAI said.
This includes registration data, IP logs, session histories, and other identifiers that could help trace the individuals behind the posts.
PROBE INTO LEAKS
The FIR invokes provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act, indicating that investigators are treating the matter as both a criminal breach of trust and a case involving misuse of digital platforms.
The focus of the inquiry includes verifying the authenticity of the circulated documents, identifying any manipulation, and determining the extent of coordination among those involved.
The controversy has also sparked debate over the implications of legal action against online commentators, especially those who raise concerns about public institutions.
However, authorities maintain that the case is centred on the alleged illegal acquisition and dissemination of sensitive material, rather than mere criticism.
As the investigation progresses, officials are expected to examine financial trails, digital linkages, and potential international connections to establish whether the alleged campaign was part of a broader strategy to influence public perception and market dynamics.
