Protection Of Whistleblower In Corporate Misconduct: A Study In Indian Legal Framework

Vipin Kumar, S.K.J Law College, Muzaffarpur, Bihar

1.1 Introduction

The word "whistleblower" is believed to have come from the English police's practice of blowing a whistle to notify other law enforcement personnel and the public when they witnessed a crime being committed. New names are being used and older, more neutral terms are being revived in an attempt to counteract some of the negative connotations associated with whistleblowing, when it is not clearly separated from informing, breaking ranks, or being disloyal. Here are a few instances of terminology that have been adopted or are in use in the aforementioned countries:

Whistleblowers are referred to as informers rather than whistleblowers in India because there is no official title for them. The phrase that is currently in use in other nations was recently adopted. Whistleblowers and informers have the same meaning. The Whistleblower Protection Act of 2014 is the only law that offers protection to informants and whistleblowers. Corruption is a covert activity that only a small number of individuals are aware of—mainly those involved in it. Because of this, there are comparatively few individuals who are aware of wrongdoings, and even fewer of these individuals disclose wrongdoings. As a result, it is exceedingly challenging to find the corrupt conduct. Informers and whistleblowers are valuable resources in the fight against corruption and other criminal conduct. Before beginning any investigations or prosecutions, there must be evidence of crime or corruption. The only thing that can change in a culture rife with corruption is the effective punishment of the corrupt.