Aug 26, 2024 01:26 PM IST
Indian authorities are probing Telegram over extortion and gambling concerns. The investigation could result in a ban, led by I4C under MHA and MeitY.
The Indian government is investigating messaging app Telegram over concerns that it is being used for activities such as extortion and gambling, Moneycontrol reported. The probe could potentially lead to a ban on the app depending on the findings, it added.
The investigation is being conducted by the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
This comes after Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov was arrested in Paris on August 24 over his app’s moderation policies which reportedly include failure to prevent criminal activities on the platform. Tech billionaire Elon Musk and whistleblower Edward Snowden criticised the arrest.
Will Telegram be banned in India?
The report claimed that the final decision would be based on the investigation’s outcomes. Telegram complies with India’s Information Technology (IT) Rules, which require platforms to appoint a nodal officer, a chief compliance officer, and publish monthly compliance reports.