| Image: Wikimedia Commons
Days after Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov was arrested in Paris over his app’s moderation policies, the Indian government has launched an investigation into allegations of extortion and gambling against the company.
The future of Telegram, which has over five million registered users in India, will depend on the results of the investigation, according to a report by MoneyControl. The messaging app could be subject to a ban if the investigation identifies grounds for doing so.
The investigation is being conducted by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). The ministries are examining the app’s peer-to-peer (P2P) communications.
Telegram has not yet issued any statement regarding the investigation in India. It should be noted that Telegram complies with India’s Information Technology (IT) Rules, which require platforms to appoint a nodal officer and a chief compliance officer, in addition to publishing monthly compliance reports.
Appointment with controversies
The popular messaging app Telegram was launched in 2013 by brothers Pavel and Nikolai Durov. The app has grown significantly and by 2024, it had over 950 million users worldwide.
In the past few months, several exams including UGC-NET, MPPSC, UP Police Constable Recruitment and NEET-UG have been marred by document leak scandals, and Telegram has frequently been at the centre of these controversies. The app has also been implicated as a major source of leaked and fake information during class 10 and 12 board exams.
Telegram’s security features allow users to remain anonymous, keeping their identity (such as name, number, and photo) confidential based on their settings. This makes it easier for people to commit crimes, such as leaking exams, without getting caught.
The arrest of Pavel Durov
French authorities arrested Pavel Durov, co-founder and CEO of secure messaging app Telegram, at Le Bourget airport near Paris on Saturday (August 24).
Durov, who holds French citizenship in addition to that of the United Arab Emirates, St Kitts and Nevis and Russia (his country of birth), was arrested as he disembarked from his private jet after returning from Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan.
French investigators had issued an arrest warrant for Durov as part of an investigation into allegations of fraud, drug trafficking, organised crime, promoting terrorism and cyberstalking.
Following the arrest, Telegram issued a statement saying: “Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and frequently travels around Europe. Nearly a billion users around the world rely on Telegram as a means of communication and a source of vital information. We are looking forward to a prompt resolution of this situation.”
First published: August 27, 2024 | 17:48 IS
Disclaimer:
The information contained in this post is for general information purposes only. We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the post for any purpose.
We respect the intellectual property rights of content creators. If you are the owner of any material featured on our website and have concerns about its use, please contact us. We are committed to addressing any copyright issues promptly and will remove any material within 2 days of receiving a request from the rightful owner.