The Telegram messaging app is facing a potential ban in India after authorities opened an investigation into its links to criminal activity. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

Telegram facing Indian probe

The messaging app Telegram is facing an investigation in India over concerns that the app is being used to facilitate criminal activity, including illegal gambling.

The investigation is being led by the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre, which has raised the possibility of the app being banned depending on the outcome of the inquiry.

a series of scandals could now culminate in the app being banned altogether

Telegram has more than 5 million registered users in India, but has seen its presence in the country plagued by a series of scandals which could now culminate in the app being banned altogether.

The details of the investigation were leaked by an anonymous official to the financial news site Moneycontrol.

Founder held in France

The news comes days after the app’s founder, Pavel Durov, was arrested by French authorities at Le Bourget airport outside Paris on August 24.

Durov was held on a warrant issued as part of an inquiry into allegations of multiple crimes, including fraud, drug trafficking, and promotion of terrorism, with Durov accused of failing to prevent Telegram from being used for criminal activity.

A statement issued by Telegram on Sunday evening stated: “Telegram abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act – its moderation is within industry standards and constantly improving.”

It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.”

“Telegram’s CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe. It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform. We’re awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation.”

On Sunday night, the magistrate overseeing the case extended Durov’s detention period. Under French law, the maximum possible initial detention period for questioning is 96 hours, after which Durov will have to be either released or face charges.

Controversial presence in India

Telegram has been at the forefront of several controversies in India already, most recently when it was implicated in the UGC-NEET scandal. An exam paper for a major medical exam was leaked and allegedly sold on the app for up to Rs10,000 ($119), sparking student protests and causing a major political storm.

Meanwhile, last October, Telegram was among a host of social media platforms who were issued a notice by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, instructing them to remove child sexual abuse material which was being shared on the app.

In order to comply with Indian regulations, social media and messaging platforms are required to appoint a nodal officer, chief compliance officer, and publish monthly reports. However, with Telegram being based in Dubai and having little or no physical presence in many of the countries in which it operates, authorities have found the rules difficult to enforce.

The present inquiry, however, is related to peer-to-peer interactions to facilitate criminal activity, rather than compliance. The anonymous official quoted in the report claimed that Telegram were fully compliant with Indian regulations.