Sebi officials may be questioned on 'leaked' report

Central security agencies are likely to question some officials of market regulator Stock Exchange Board of India (Sebi) and a few stock market operators on leakage of a classified report purportedly prepared by the Intelligence Bureau, which led to fall in share prices of many small and mid-cap companies.

As part of the probe, which has been ordered by the Union Home Ministry, the market operators and Sebi officials may be questioned by the agencies to know whether some players tried to take advantage of the alleged leak, indulged in any unfair trade practices and rigged the stock market.

The probe is aimed at unearthing the motive behind the circulation of the purported report, the people responsible for the alleged leak and whether any group with vested interest had tried to manipulate the market, official sources said.