Mumbai, Aug. 21 -- The mishap began at 9:16 am, when nearly 20% of the company's equity, or about 2.08 crore shares, suddenly changed hands in a block deal. The stock immediately tumbled as much as 7% in early trade. Minutes later, fresh data suggested that as much as 56% of the company's equity had been traded, sparking speculation about an outsized promoter sale.

By 9:41 am, the company confirmed to the media that a "punching error" was behind the abnormal spike in volumes. The stock briefly staged a sharp recovery, rebounding nearly 6% higher by 9:53 am. However, the relief proved short-lived, with shares giving up gains within minutes and sliding back into the red.

Later in the day, Clean Science issued a formal clarification to the...