We honour our promises to confidential sources. We do not reveal identities even under legal pressure unless explicitly authorised by the source.
#Our promise
- Source identity is known only to the reporter and one senior editor.
- Notes, emails, and recordings that could identify a source are stored separately and securely.
- We do not share source identity with our parent company, legal team (without explicit source consent), or third parties.
#When we grant anonymity
- The source faces credible risk of retaliation (employment, safety, legal).
- The information is material to a story of public interest.
- The information is not available on the record.
- The reporter has corroborated the information through other means.
Anonymity is a privilege we extend sparingly. Most stories use named sources.
#Secure communication channels
For sensitive material, contact us first via plain text to request a secure channel. We support: PGP-encrypted email (key on request), Signal (number on request), and SecureDrop (when configured at /securedrop).
#Legal protection
Under the Press Council of India guidelines + Indian Shield Law jurisprudence, journalists may not be compelled to reveal sources except by court order. We resist subpoenas at our expense and notify sources promptly if compelled.
