The Indian government has temporarily banned Telegram in India after allegations against the app that it was used to share leaked NEET examinations papers. Now the Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) has criticised the Centre’s move to block the platform. The digital rights group says that the move is an excessive response to alleged exam fraud linked to the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination.
Here’s What IFF Said
The organisation said, “The Internet Freedom Foundation objects to the directions announced today in the National Testing Agency’s press release on action against the Telegram platform. On the NTA’s recommendation, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has, under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, restricted access to the whole of Telegram in India until 22 June 2026, and has separately ordered the platform to switch off message-editing for every Indian user until 30 June 2026. This is a blunt, nationwide measure aimed at the conduct of rampant fraud rackets, and on the Government’s own admission is constitutionally incompatible.”
Notably, the organisation has questioned whether the government has the legal authority to block access to an entire platform under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000. As per IFF, this law allows authorities to block access to specific pieces of information hosted online, but does not clearly permit the shutdown of an entire intermediary service used by millions of people.
The organisation said, “At the outset it is important to note that Section 69A and the Blocking Rules of 2009 framed under it allow the Government to block access to specific “information” on a computer resource. They do not extend to switching off an entire intermediary, still less to ordering a company to redesign its product by removing a feature for a whole country.”
It added, “In Shreya Singhal v Union of India, the Supreme Court upheld Section 69A because it is narrow and hedged with procedural safeguards. Reading it to authorise shutting down a platform that lakhs use is an overbroad restriction by the NTAs own admission. For the message-editing direction the release identifies no source of power at all. If one exists, the order must say so.”
The Telegram CEO Durov took has also taken to X to criticise the Indian government for temporarily banning Telegram in India. He has now also made serious allegations against Reliance. He claims that the telecom company is interfering with access to Telegram for users outside India through a network routing issue known as BGP hijacking.
Durov mentioned that the disruption affected the missions of Telegram users, including those in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). He suggested that the issue appeared deliberate and mentioned Reliance had ignored multiple reports about the problem.
He wrote, “Indian telecom Reliance is sabotaging access to Telegram for millions of users OUTSIDE India (including the UAE) via a rogue method called BGP hijacking.” He also alleged that the disruption could be linked to competition between Telegram and WhatsApp, adding that Reliance had business ties with Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp.
Durov said, “The sabotage seems intentional, as Reliance has ignored multiple reports. This may be part of a competitive war, as Reliance is partially owned by Meta.”
Telegram was temporarily banned in India after allegations against the instant messaging platform surfaced that some channels on the app were being used to share leaked NEET examination papers, fake study material and misleading data ahead of the re-test, prompting authorities to take actions against the platform.
