'Telegram Has Become the New Dark Web': Centre Defends Temporary Ban Ahead of NEET-UG Re-Exam
The government said Telegram’s cloud-based system and bot network let cheating groups spread leaked papers and move channel members quickly, risking the NEET re-exam.
- On Thursday, Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta defended the government's temporary Telegram ban in the Delhi High Court, arguing it is necessary to prevent illegal activities during the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination.
- The Centre suspended Telegram until June 22 after identifying cheating networks exploiting the app's message-editing feature to fabricate pre-exam leaks among over 2 million students taking the entrance test.
- Citing "architectural flaws," Mehta argued that Telegram's bot infrastructure poses unique risks; he claimed while only 10% of users are miscreants, the platform cannot adequately address such misuse.
- During Wednesday's hearing, the Delhi High Court questioned whether legitimate users' rights should be curtailed "because some people are misusing it," while Telegram challenged the restriction as disproportionate and unlawful.
- Critics, including the Internet Freedom Foundation, argue that blocking entire platforms sets a concerning precedent for internet governance, asserting that "internet shutdowns are never a proportionate response" to security threats.
37 Articles
37 Articles
Telegram new ‘dark web’, hub of criminals: Centre tells Delhi HC to justify ban until NEET re-exam
The Union government claimed before the Delhi High Court on Thursday that messaging platform Telegram was becoming the “new dark web”, enabling illegal activities and linking criminals, Bar and Bench reported.“Criminals have rapidly adopted Telegram to post links on channels that connect to dark web forums through deep web links, making it hard for the authorities to track and attribute criminals,” the legal news outlet quoted the government as …
How can right of 150 million Telegram users be curtailed because of NEET-UG retest: Delhi HC
The Delhi High Court on Thursday reserved its verdict on a plea by Telegram against the Centre's move to temporarily restrict access to the massaging app ahead of June 21 NEET-UG re-examination and said how can right of 150 million Telegram users can be curtailed just because set of citizens are taking up NEET-UG retest. A vacation bench headed by Justice Tejas Karia reserved the order after hearing arguments from senior advocate Dhruv Mehta, ap…
Delhi HC reserves order on Centre's temporary Telegram ban ahead of NEET re-exam
The Delhi High Court has reserved its judgment in the case concerning the central government's temporary ban on the Telegram application. The ban, implemented ahead of the NEET re-examination scheduled for June 21, is set to continue until at least June 22. In court, the Centre defended the restriction, pointing to the existence of a Telegram channel with eighteen thousand subscribers and highlighting concerns over features like backdated edit o…
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