The Indian government has defended its temporary restriction on Telegram, arguing it was a necessary measure to dismantle an active ecosystem of exam-related fraud, extortion, and misinformation targeting over 2.2 million candidates. This response came after Telegram founder Pavel Durov accused India of punishing more than 150 million users.
Government's Justification
Officials maintained the action was temporary and proportionate to the cyber-fraud ecosystem exploiting one of India's largest public examinations, the NEET-UG retest. The primary concern was not just exam integrity but organized fraud networks preying on anxious students.
According to material prepared in support of the restriction, Telegram channels with names like 'PAPER LEAKED NEET' and 'Re-NEET 2026' were allegedly running extortion rackets. They demanded between Rs 14,000 and Rs 25,000, and in some instances up to Rs 10 lakh, from candidates and parents in exchange for non-existent question papers.
Exploitation of Platform Features
Officials also noted that Telegram allowed administrators to edit old messages while retaining the original timestamp. Investigators claimed fraudsters used this feature to alter previously innocuous posts after the exam, circulating manipulated screenshots as 'proof' of leaks.
Durov's Allegations
Durov argued that the restriction failed to stop leaks, as they simply migrated to other platforms. He also alleged that Reliance had disrupted Telegram access outside India through border gateway protocol (BGP) hijacking.
Reliance Jio responded on X, stating: 'Recent posts on X have led to speculation regarding Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited (AS55836) and a BGP route misconfiguration. We categorically clarify that Jio has not been involved in any such incident. Jio continues to operate its network in accordance with global Internet routing best practices and the highest standards of reliability, security, and transparency.'
Expert Support
Neehar Pathare, MD and CEO of 63SATS Cybertech, backed the government's move, saying: 'The future of 2.2 million students takes clear precedence over the temporary access to a single digital platform.'
Manish Chachada, co-founder and COO of cybersecurity firm Cyble, highlighted the challenge of balancing digital freedom with public security, noting that fraud networks often migrate to other channels.
The episode underscores the tension between digital freedoms and the need to protect public security in an era of sophisticated online fraud.
