The Central government has told the Delhi High Court that the messaging platform Telegram poses a threat to national security, citing its alleged use in terrorism, cybercrime, financial fraud, drug trafficking and child sexual abuse material.
The submission came in a case filed by Telegram challenging the government’s direction to block the app until June 22. The move followed rumours that NEET re-exam question papers were being sold on Telegram ahead of the re-test scheduled for June 21.
During the hearing, Justice Tejas Karia questioned how the rights of around 15 crore users could be curtailed for an issue affecting a limited set of examinees. Appearing for the Centre, the Solicitor General filed a detailed report outlining the government’s concerns.
The report alleged that Telegram functions like a “new dark web” for offenders to evade detection, and that channels and groups are used to circulate abusive pornographic content involving children. It also flagged large-scale sharing of new films and copyrighted content through thousands of channels, causing revenue losses and violating intellectual property laws.
The Centre further claimed that Telegram does not fully follow social media guidelines and does not provide adequate cooperation when information about accused persons is sought. After recording the report, the High Court reserved its order without specifying a date.
