NEW DELHI: In a fresh development on Sebi's WhatsApp probe, the market regulator's forensic team has retrieved deleted data in the results leak cases, sources told ETNow.

Sources said Sebi investigation is now zeroed in on five listed companies. The market regulator will match its own findings with those submitted by the companies.

The market regulator had on December 27, 2017 passed an interim direction against Axis Bank on this issue and asked the lender to conduct an internal inquiry on those involved in the preparation of board notes and presentations, with access to information and engaged in the consolidation of figures and dissemination of information relating to financial results in the public domain.

The regulator is awaiting interim report from the private lender, ETNow reported.

The investigation began following a Reuters report that suggested that earnings of some major Indian companies, including Dr Reddy's, circulated on WhatsApp groups of traders even before the numbers were officially announced.

The leaks also pertained to earnings of Cipla, Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, Tata Steel, Wipro, Bajaj Finance, Mahindra Holidays and Resorts and Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals, among others, the Reuters report said.