Ahead of the re-examination of NEET-UG 2026, a temporary ban has been imposed on Telegram in India, which Telegram has challenged in the court. Amidst this legal battle, the Central Government is ready to take a tough stand against Telegram in the Delhi High Court. The government claims that Telegram is not at all serious about national security or data sharing rules. Apart from this, the government has filed an affidavit in the Delhi High Court in which many shocking and serious things have come to light about the platform. The government claims that along with hosting child pornography and illegal content, Telegram is emerging as a new “dark web” for criminals, who are freely using it to evade the law. This has intensified speculation whether the government may impose a permanent ban on it.
no decision in haste
Earlier, during the hearing held on Wednesday, the central government defended its decision. Appearing for the government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the High Court that the action against Telegram was not taken overnight; The government was in talks with the company on this issue since May and during that time complaints were being received continuously.
He also told the court that the government has shocking evidence and data related to the misuse of the app, which it wants to present before the court. The government has taken this step using its emergency powers under Section 69A of the IT Act.
What does Telegram have to say?
On the other hand, Telegram has described the government’s decision as arbitrary and very harsh. Telegram’s senior lawyer Dhruv Mehta argued that the company has fully cooperated with the government and has blocked specific channels identified by the authorities. Telegram claims that such a temporary ban affects millions of common users across the country, which is actually tantamount to a complete ban.
Main allegations of the government
According to the affidavit filed in the court, Telegram channels are being used to spread child pornography, which is a matter of serious concern for the security agencies.
Cyber fraud and data leak
Citing data from the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, the government has reported a huge increase in cyber fraud cases related to Telegram. This platform is being used to commit financial scams through fake identities and sell hacked data.
Sensitive data and the role of bots
The government has also expressed concern that personal data of Indian citizens – such as mobile numbers and other sensitive information – is being easily leaked through Telegram bots.
Paper leak and terrorist propaganda
This platform is being used for many illegal activities like spreading leaked question papers of major exams like NEET, inciting violence and spreading misinformation by terrorist organizations.
