Telegram under Centre's scanner over extortion concerns, might be banned
Telegram, a popular messaging platform, is currently under investigation by the Indian government due to concerns about criminal activities like extortion and gambling, taking place on the app. A government official disclosed this information to Moneycontrol. The official also hinted at the possibility of a ban on Telegram in India, depending on the outcome of this investigation.
Investigation led by Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre and MeitY
The investigation into Telegram's activities is being spearheaded by the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). The focus of this probe is mainly on criminal activities such as extortion and gambling. The official stated, "The Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) (under MHA) and MeitY have been looking into P2P communications on Telegram."
Telegram's compliance with IT rules and challenges in investigation
The official clarified that the ongoing investigation is not related to the Information Technology (IT) rules, as Telegram is compliant with these regulations. However, difficulties have arisen due to Telegram's lack of a physical presence in India. This absence complicates direct communication and hinders efforts to request user data, making the investigation more challenging.
Recent controversy and CEO's arrest
In a recent controversy, Telegram was implicated in the UGC-NEET question paper leak scandal, which led to widespread student protests and Supreme Court intervention. The leaked paper was allegedly being sold on Telegram for between ₹5,000 and ₹10,000. Additionally, Pavel Durov, the 39-year-old founder and CEO of Telegram was arrested in Paris on August 24 over the app's moderation policies.
