Three Foxconn employees have have been arrested and charged for leaking details of the design to accessory companies.

Rumours about the case designs of the second-generation iPad popped up in December. However details of the device's size and design that turned out to be accurate and Foxconn suspected a leak from the inside.

A local Shenzhen newspaper said the three employees were formally charged by police with violating Foxconn trade secrets. Foxconn may have been prompted to act on the suspected leak either directly by Apple or in an effort to maintain its relationship with the company.

Previously Foxconn's attempts to deal with people suspected with leaking ideas have ended up with people hurling themselves off buildings rather than face more questions from its security guards.