The Government of India is currently investigating Telegram. It is a popular messaging app. Concerns have arisen that users are using the app for criminal activities like extortion and gambling.
The investigation was led by I4C or the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre under MHA or Ministry of Home Affairs and the MeitY or the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. It has raised the possibility of a ban on the platform depending on the outcome of the probe.
An anonymous government official disclosed these developments to Moneycontrol.
The investigation occur simultaneously with the previous arrest of Pavel Durov, the CEO and founder of Telegram in Paris last August 24. Reports suggest that French authorities detained Durov due to the app’s failure to stop criminal activities. This is in particular to moderation policies, which have been under careful examination.
For Indian authorities, investigating Telegram has become a concern. This is because of its increasing association with criminal activities. It includes scams that have resulted in notable financial losses for its citizens.
Telegram boasts over 5 million registered users in the country. In the UGC-NEET controversy, the UGC-NEET question paper was leaked and allegedly sold on Telegram for prices ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000. This incident sparked student protests and led to the intervention of the Supreme Court.
I4C and MeitY are currently investigating activities like extortion and gambling facilitated by peer-to-peer communications on Telegram. The absence of a local office in India has complicated efforts to investigate and regulate the platform. This is while the app is reportedly compliant with IT or Information Technology Rules of India.
