Mumbai, January 30: The Press Information Bureau (PIB) issued a clarification on Friday, January 30, 2026, dismissing reports that the Union Budget 2026 has been leaked online. The government's fact-checking arm intervened after several images and screenshots, claiming to show "confidential" details of the upcoming budget, began circulating on Telegram.

The viral posts suggested major changes to income tax slabs and corporate tax rates just 24 hours before Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to present the document in Parliament. Was AI-Generated Imagery, Small Pits Used To Portray Large Reservoirs To Win National Water Award? PIB Fact Check Debunks Fake Social Media Posts.

PIB Fact-Checks Images Going Viral On Social Media

PIB Fact Check: Viral Images of Budget 2026 Are Fake

According to the PIB Fact Check unit, the images are "completely fake and fabricated." The bureau urged the public not to share misleading information that could cause unnecessary panic or market volatility. The government emphasized that the budget preparation process remains under a high-security "lock-in" at the North Block, with no digital or physical copies released prior to the official speech on February 1.

PIB Fact Check Clarifies After Fake Images of Budget 2026 Go Viral

The viral images appeared to be professionally designed slides or screenshots of a PDF document. They claimed to show a new tax regime where the zero-tax limit was raised to INR 7 lakh and the standard deduction was hiked to INR 1.2 lakh. These specific figures led many social media users to believe the leak was genuine, as they aligned with popular pre-budget speculations. Employees To Work 12 Hours a Day Under New Labour Code? PIB Fact Check Debunks Fake Claim.

However, officials pointed out several inconsistencies in the viral images, including incorrect font usage and the absence of official watermarks typically found on Ministry of Finance documents. The PIB reiterated that any official announcement regarding the budget will only be made on the floor of the House by the Finance Minister.

Security Protocols at North Block

The Union Budget is one of the most guarded secrets in the Indian government. For the past week, nearly 100 officials involved in the printing and compilation process have been housed in the "budget press" located in the basement of North Block. These individuals are prohibited from using mobile phones or contacting their families until the budget is presented.

The "Halwa Ceremony," which took place earlier in January, marked the official commencement of this lock-in period. Given these extreme security measures, experts noted that a digital leak of the actual budget speech is highly improbable.

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TruLY Score 5 – Trustworthy | On a Trust Scale of 0-5 this article has scored 5 on LatestLY. It is verified through official sources (Official X Account of PIB Fact Check). The information is thoroughly cross-checked and confirmed. You can confidently share this article with your friends and family, knowing it is trustworthy and reliable.

Fact check

Union Budget 2026 Leaked on Telegram? PIB Fact Check Debunks Fake Images Going Viral on Social Media
Claim :

Union Budget 2026 has been leaked online.

Conclusion :

According to the PIB Fact Check unit, the images are "completely fake and fabricated."

Full of Trash
Clean

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 30, 2026 09:41 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).