Indian Court Upholds Temporary Telegram Ban, Rejects Appeal Against Gov't Order

 A court in New Delhi on Friday rejected an appeal by messaging platform Telegram against a temporary ban imposed in India, marking a setback for the company as authorities move ahead with measures aimed at curbing alleged exam-related fraud.

The ruling upholds a government directive restricting access to the app, which officials say was being used by groups allegedly selling leaked examination papers ahead of a major national medical entrance test scheduled for Sunday.

India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology had earlier ordered a temporary suspension of Telegram until June 22, citing concerns over channels promoting the sale of exam materials.

The decision comes after widespread scrutiny of digital platforms following allegations of repeated leaks affecting competitive examinations in the country. Authorities said even false claims of leaked papers constituted fraud against students, contributing to the urgency of the intervention.

The ban was implemented within hours of the government order, with local telecom operators blocking access to the app. Telegram was also removed from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store in India, escalating tensions between regulators and the platform.

The case has become one of the most high-profile legal disputes this year between the Indian government and a global technology company.

Judge Tejas Karia of the Delhi High Court ruled that the government’s actions were justified and carried out in accordance with established legal procedures, effectively allowing the temporary restrictions to remain in place.

India represents Telegram’s largest market, with more than 150 million users. The company’s founder, Pavel Durov, publicly criticized the decision, arguing that enforcement efforts were penalizing users while similar activities were shifting to other platforms.

Telegram also disputed the government’s characterization of events in its legal filings, describing official accounts as “one-sided and inaccurate,” and stating that authorities had overlooked proactive measures taken by the company.

The platform said it had removed more than 900 links related to illegal exam content, as it sought to demonstrate compliance efforts amid growing regulatory pressure in one of its most important global markets.