The Indian government is currently investigating Telegram for the misuse of the platform in criminal activities.
The investigation mostly focuses on illegal activities such as extortion and gambling.
Previously, the UGC-NEET question paper was also leaked on the platform and was being sold there.
The founder and CEO of Telegram was arrested in Paris on August 24 as there were concerns that illegal activities on Telegram were not limited under his leadership. And it seems like things are not going well for the platform in India either. The Indian government is currently investigating Telegram for the misuse of the platform in criminal activities, including extortion and gambling.
This investigation has brought in questions like whether the messaging app will be banned in India or not. According to a Money Control report, an unnamed government official has revealed that the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) are closely examining peer-to-peer communications on Telegram.
The investigation mostly focuses on illegal activities such as extortion and gambling, which have been increasingly reported on the platform. The official did not confirm if the app will be banned in India or not. A decision will be taken post the investigations are complete. Currently, Telegram has over 5 million registered users in India.
Also read: Telegram defends CEO following arrest in France, says he has ‘nothing to hide’
This is not the first time that Telegram is under the government’s radar. Previously, the UGC-NEET question paper was also leaked on the platform and was being sold there. Questions were raised about the platform’s role in facilitating such illegal activities.
Telegram does follow India’s Information Technology (IT) Rules. The issue here is that the platform doesn’t have a local presence. Hence it becomes difficult to regulate it. The ongoing investigation by I4C and MeitY is not directly related to the IT Rules but is focused on criminal misuse of the app. Now as the investigation furthers, we will have to see what the government finds out and what the final call is about banning the messaging app.
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Mustafa Khan
Mustafa is a young tech journalist who tells it like it is, cutting through buzzwords to deliver straightforward smartphone reviews. He’s the office go-to for insider tips and quick demos, and his video content doesn’t waste anyone’s time. When he’s off the clock, he geeks out over cars, photography, and hunting down the best spot for Indian food. View Full Profile
