The Union government has defended its temporary blocking of Telegram, telling the Delhi High Court that the platform has evolved into a major hub for cybercrime, fraud and illicit networks. Appearing before Justice Tejas Karia, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that the action was driven by national‑security and public‑safety concerns, not just the controversy surrounding the Neet‑UG paper leak.
According to the Centre, Telegram’s architecture — especially its anonymity features, hidden channels and forwarding tools — has enabled everything from malware distribution and financial scams to extremist content, drug trafficking, and exam paper leaks. Officials described the app as a bridge between conventional cybercriminal groups and dark‑web ecosystems, claiming that threat actors increasingly use Telegram to share links to concealed forums that are difficult to trace.
The government said Telegram’s privacy controls allow users to hide phone numbers and identifiers, complicating attribution for law‑enforcement agencies. Although every account is linked to a number in the backend, investigators argued that Telegram’s settings make it easy for criminals to mask their identity.
Telegram, represented by senior advocate Dhruv Mehta, pushed back strongly. The platform argued that millions of Indians use Telegram for legitimate purposes, including education, business, and community communication, and that a blanket ban disproportionately harms lawful users. The company challenged the blocking order, saying the government had not demonstrated why less intrusive measures would not suffice.
The court acknowledged the complexity of the issue, noting that while serious misuse exists, it must consider whether banning an entire app is an appropriate remedy. It also observed that the government’s powers under Section 69A of the IT Act cannot be challenged through writ proceedings.
The matter remains under consideration, with the court expected to examine whether the government’s concerns justify such a sweeping restriction.