Telegram Ban in India: The central government has leveled sensational allegations against Telegram. The government stated that the platform has become the new "dark web" and is being used by criminals to evade law enforcement agencies.

Telegram Ban in India: Shortly after the move to ban Telegram, the government has made serious accusations against the messaging platform. The government informed the Delhi High Court that the Telegram app has effectively become a new dark web. Criminals, cyber fraudsters, extremist groups, and other dangerous elements are utilizing it to escape the reach of the law. The platform is now being used to facilitate various illegal activities.

How did the matter reach the court?

To prevent paper leaks during the NEET re-examination, the government imposed a temporary ban on Telegram until June 22. Additionally, it ordered the disabling of the platform's message-editing feature until June 30. Contesting this order, Telegram approached the Delhi High Court. In a statement, Telegram's CEO remarked that instead of penalizing those responsible for the paper leaks, the government had punished the platform's 150 million users. The company filed a petition in the Delhi High Court seeking relief.

Government levels serious allegations

According to an India Today report, the government made sensational allegations against Telegram in an affidavit submitted to the court. The government informed the court that Telegram is being used to circulate leaked exam papers and facilitate cyber fraud, terrorism-linked propaganda, drug trafficking, financial crimes, and the distribution of child pornography. It has effectively become a new dark web. Criminals are using Telegram to post links to channels connected to dark web forums, making it difficult for agencies to track them. Its privacy and anonymity features have made it a preferred choice for criminal networks.

Privacy features allow criminals to hide their identities – Government

The government has stated that Telegram allows users to hide their phone numbers and IDs, making it difficult for investigators to ascertain the true identities of account holders. Due to these privacy features, the platform is being used for activities such as drug trafficking, cybercrime, terrorism, child exploitation, and fraud. The government has also alleged that violent extremist content and material linked to terrorist organizations are being disseminated through Telegram groups.