How to report corruption in India: official channels and safer options
Where to report corruption in India: CVC, PIDPI whistleblower route, Lokpal, Lokayuktas, CBI and state bureaus, what a complaint needs and how to stay safe.
Published 18 October 2026, Guide
India has several official bodies that receive corruption complaints. Choosing the right one matters: a complaint sent to the wrong body may be forwarded, delayed or closed. This guide explains the main channels, what each handles, what a complaint needs and how to reduce the risks to yourself.
Start with two questions
- Who is the official? A central government employee, a state government employee, a minister or MP, or a public sector company or bank officer. This decides which body has jurisdiction.
- Do you need your identity protected? Most channels do not accept anonymous complaints, and the official whistleblower route works differently from a normal complaint.
Official channels
Central Vigilance Commission (CVC)
The CVC handles allegations of corruption involving central ministries and departments, central public sector undertakings, public sector banks and insurers, and other bodies under the central government. It does not cover state government employees or private individuals, and it does not deal with service grievances. You can file through the complaint portal linked from the CVC website, or by letter. The CVC deals directly with senior officers and refers complaints about other staff to the organisation's Chief Vigilance Officer. It does not act on anonymous or pseudonymous complaints.
Whistleblower complaints under the PIDPI Resolution
If you want your identity protected, the route is the Public Interest Disclosure and Protection of Informers (PIDPI) Resolution of 2004, under which the CVC is the designated agency. It covers central government bodies, not state governments. The rules are strict:
- Send it by post only, in a closed envelope marked "PIDPI" or "Complaint under the Public Interest Disclosure". Email and the online portal are not accepted for this route.
- Address it to the Secretary, Central Vigilance Commission, Satarkta Bhawan, Block A, GPO Complex, INA, New Delhi 110023.
- Do not write your name or address on the envelope or in the body of the complaint. Give them separately, at the start or end or in an attached letter, so they can be removed.
- The CVC is required to keep your identity confidential and removes it before forwarding the complaint for investigation. A complainant who faces victimisation can apply to the CVC for redress.
Since 2013, Chief Vigilance Officers of central ministries and departments can also receive PIDPI complaints.
Lokpal
The Lokpal, set up under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, examines complaints of offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 against the Prime Minister (with exclusions), Union ministers, Members of Parliament and central government officials. Complaints must use the prescribed form under the Lokpal (Complaint) Rules, 2020 and include identity and address proof, a signed statement, supporting evidence and an attested affidavit. You can file by post, in person or through the Lokpal website; an online filing must be followed by a signed hard copy within 15 days. There is no fee. Complaints must be made within seven years of the alleged offence, and a false or vexatious complaint can lead to prosecution.
State Lokayuktas
Each state has, or is meant to have, a Lokayukta under its own law to examine corruption by state ministers and officials. Powers, coverage and procedures vary from state to state. Check the state Lokayukta's official website for its complaint form and rules.
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
The CBI investigates corruption cases, mainly involving central government employees and central bodies, under the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946. To act inside a state it generally needs that state's consent. Use the complaint options listed on the CBI's official website or its regional anti-corruption branches. The CBI also handles trap cases, where a bribe demand is reported before money changes hands.
State anti-corruption bureaus
Most states have an anti-corruption bureau or vigilance department within the police that investigates bribery by state government employees, including police, revenue and municipal staff. Many run helplines. If an official is demanding a bribe now, these bureaus (or the CBI for central staff) are usually the fastest route.
Departmental vigilance officers
Most public bodies have a Chief Vigilance Officer or vigilance cell. This can be quick for internal matters, but think carefully: an internal complaint may be seen by the people you are complaining about.
What a complaint needs
- Specific facts: who, what, when, where and how much. Vague or general allegations are usually closed.
- Supporting documents you hold lawfully, such as copies of orders, bills or correspondence. Keep the originals.
- Your name and address. Most channels will not act on anonymous complaints.
- One channel at a time. Sending the same complaint to several bodies can lead to it being set aside.
- Concern corruption, not a personal service grievance, which has separate grievance channels.
The Whistle Blowers Protection Act, 2014
Parliament passed the Whistle Blowers Protection Act in 2014 to give a statutory process and protection for people who report corruption by public servants. As of this review, the central government has not issued the notification needed to bring it into force, so its protections are not operational. An amendment bill introduced in 2015 was never enacted. In practice, the PIDPI Resolution remains the main protected route for central government matters. There is no equivalent general protection for private sector whistleblowers. See our overview of whistleblower laws in South Asia.
Risks of retaliation
Reporting corruption can lead to transfers, disciplinary action, legal threats, social pressure and, in some cases, violence. Identity protection depends on the channel and on the people handling the complaint. Details in your complaint can identify you even if your name is removed, especially if only a few people had access to the information.
Safer practices
Do
- Write down what happened, with dates, as soon as possible, and store it somewhere only you control.
- Keep copies of documents you hold lawfully, separate from your work systems.
- Use the PIDPI route if your identity needs protection and the matter involves a central body.
- Keep proof of posting and any complaint number.
- Get independent legal advice if you are an employee or face threats.
Don't
- Use a work device, work email or office network to prepare or send a complaint or contact journalists.
- Take documents you are not authorised to access, or access systems without permission.
- Discuss your complaint with colleagues or on social media.
- Pay a bribe to gather evidence, or try to record or trap someone without guidance from the investigating agency.
- Send classified or operational defence material to anyone.
Read the source safety guide and how to remove metadata before sharing files.
When sharing with journalists may be appropriate
Official channels should usually come first. Sharing information with journalists may be appropriate where the issue is of clear public interest and official channels have failed, are compromised, or would expose you to serious risk. Journalists do not have the power to investigate crimes or protect you legally, and publication can have consequences for you.
If you decide to contact FaujiLeaks, use the secure tip form from a personal device on a personal network. We verify everything independently, and we give those named a right of response before publishing. Our standards explain how we protect sources. For the wider records picture, see the India public file.
This guide is general information, not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Can I file an anonymous corruption complaint in India?
Most official channels, including the CVC and the Lokpal, do not act on anonymous complaints. If you need your identity protected in a matter involving a central body, use the PIDPI whistleblower route, which keeps your name confidential.
How do I file a PIDPI whistleblower complaint?
Send it by post in a closed envelope marked “PIDPI” to the Secretary of the Central Vigilance Commission in New Delhi. Put your name and address separately from the complaint text, not on the envelope.
Is the Whistle Blowers Protection Act 2014 in force?
No. It was passed in 2014, but the central government has not issued the notification needed to bring it into force, so its protections are not operational.
Who handles corruption by state government employees?
State anti-corruption bureaus or vigilance departments, and the state Lokayukta where one exists. The CVC and Lokpal cover central government officials.
Does it cost anything to complain to the Lokpal?
No fee is charged. You must use the prescribed form with an attested affidavit and supporting documents, within seven years of the alleged offence.
Sources
- iiitg.ac.in/uploads/files/CVC_complaint_handling_policy.pdf
- sebi.gov.in/pdf/PIDPI.pdf
- bdl-india.in//sites/default/files/PIDPIBOOKLET.pdf
- lokpal.gov.in/pdfs/FreqAQs.pdf
- khaitanco.com/sites/default/files/2026-10/Guide%20to%20Whistleblowing.pdf
- thewire.in/government/govt-says-amendment-to-whistle-blowers-protection-act-not-
- vajiramandravi.com/current-affairs/general-consent-to-the-central-bureau-of-investigatio