India has launched an investigation into the popular messaging platform Telegram, focusing on its alleged involvement in illegal activities such as extortion and gambling. This probe comes shortly after the arrest of Telegramâ€TMs founder, Pavel Durov, in France on August 24.
The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) are conducting the investigation. Depending on the outcome, Telegram, which has an estimated 104 million users in India, may face a ban in the country. Users have already reported issues accessing Telegram Wallet, which now shows an “unsupported region” message, sparking concern about the app’s future in India.
The arrest of Durov by French authorities has intensified scrutiny of Telegram’s content moderation practices. French officials allege that the platform’s lack of oversight has allowed illegal activities, including drug trafficking, fraud, and child exploitation, to proliferate. Despite these accusations, Telegram maintains that it complies with European Union laws and continuously improves its content moderation standards.
Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, has refuted any political motive for Durov’s arrest and emphasized that an independent judicial process will resolve the matter. The arrest has caused a stir in the tech community and raised questions about the role of messaging platforms in preventing illegal activities.
