The data lost was not trivial. It included recruitment data, scientist profiles, research project files, job applications, interview evaluations and communication logs. It was essentially the lifeblood of India’s agricultural science infrastructure. But despite the magnitude of the breach, no FIR was filed and months passed before a six-member inquiry committee (which was too internal) was finally formed in July, only after Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was informed about the issue, reported Kisan Tak, India Today Digital’s sister portal on agriculture, environment and farmer welfare.
Former ICAR board member and Varanasi-based scientist Venugopal Badarwada had alleged in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the data had been “deliberately deleted” and could be related to recruitment irregularities. Meanwhile, ICAR’s current director general ML Jat acknowledged this in a conversation with Kisan Tak no FIR was filed after the successive removalswhich were downright suspicious.
Jat said that while action had been taken against four individuals, investigations to determine whether the deletions were accidental or intentional continued. It appears that necessary warnings and maintenance protocols were ignored, Jat said, noting the unusual circumstances surrounding the disappearance of data from both the primary and backup servers.
However, it should be noted that Himanshu Pathak was the DG of ICAR at the time of the breach, and Jat took over the reins of ICAR on April 18, 2025. Pathak now heads the Hyderabad-based crop research institute ICRISAT.
“How could such highly sensitive data just disappear? Why did a data destruction take place on the Hyderabad backup server after the same happened days ago in Delhi? How is it acceptable that all that data is lost now? Was this just a cyber attack, or a data loss accident, or a deliberate conspiracy to delete records? Why has no FIR been filed till now?” Who is held responsible for this massive data breach??” asked agriculture expert Om Prakash, the editor of Kisan Tak.
ICAR-DELHI LOST DATA IN MARCH, FORMED AN INTERNAL COMMITTEE IN JULY
In the incident, the main server in Delhi was first compromised on February 28, sources in the internal probe committee said. That was followed days later by the deletion of data from the backup server in Hyderabad.
Remarkably, the ICAR management kept the event secret for several months. No FIR was filed when the server details were deleted, Jat admitted. The six-member investigative committee was finally formed in July. The delayed establishment of the investigative committee raised eyebrows, with insiders pointing out that the committee consisted only of internal ICAR officials with expertise in agricultural sciences, without external experts in information technology or cybersecurity.
The committee was tasked with investigating the causes of the deletions and recommending stricter data protection measures to prevent similar events in the future. After the Prime Minister’s Office took note of this, ICAR DG Jat was asked to brief the committee about the developing crisis.
WHY COULDN’T THE HYDERABAD SERVER BE SAVED AFTER IT WAS BREACHED IN DELHI?
The purpose of the backup server in Hyderabad was precisely to protect data in the event that the primary server was breached. But after the server in New Delhi was hit, the data from the backup from Hyderabad was also wiped out.
Sources told Kisan Tak that the first threat was detected on February 28, but no immediate backup or protective measures were reportedly taken. The lack of timely action left many wondering why an institution with an annual budget of Rs 10,000 crore could not secure its most sensitive data, especially when smaller research institutions maintain robust backup protocols. After the first threat alert in February, both the Delhi and Hyderabad servers experienced wipeouts.
The deleted data includes recruitment files, scientist data, project details, application forms, suitability assessments, transcripts, interview evaluations and vigilance notes. The disappearance of these files has a direct impact on the selection process for agricultural scientists, calling into question the credibility of past and future recruitments.
Isn’t that the fact that the backup server in Hyderabad was wiped after the Delhi breach? raise suspicions of a deliberate cover-up of fraud?
WAS ICAR DATA BREACH A CYBER ATTACK? WAS IT A CONSPIRACY? OR A PLOT TO COVER UP?
Although ICAR has not confirmed whether it was a cyber attack, the circumstances fuel speculation.
Andhra-born, Varanasi-based farmer Venugopal Badarwada has claimed that the removal was not accidental and pointed to possible links with recruitment processes, with each selection costing an average of Rs 15.95 lakh. He demanded a comprehensive audit and review of all ASRB hires since 2014, especially those involving pending litigation or where waivers have been granted.
Badarwara sent the full details of the data deletion to the Prime Minister’s Office, Kisan Tak reported, adding that when ICAR’s DG, ML Jat, was asked about it, he said: “This is all baseless, and he (Badarwara) has a habit of writing like this”.
The internal investigation, which began in July, was led by ICAR’s deputy director general, who is a crop science expert and not an IT or cybersecurity professional. This decision provoked criticism from stakeholders.
The server breach incidents, which are raising concerns about alarming gaps in data protection and governance at India’s top agricultural research institutions, also raise questions beyond IT failures. The questions have to do with administrative efficiency and transparency in recruitment. As the ICAR continues its investigation, the agricultural science community and stakeholders await clarity on whether this was negligence, a cyber attack or a deliberate act to cover up crimes.
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