After France arrested Telegram CEO Pavel Durov on August 24, the Indian government launched an investigation to look into the allegations against Telegram in the "Indian context". Durov was arrested on charges of insufficient moderation on the Telegram platform. France has leveled several charges against Telegram, including drug trafficking, sharing "pornographic images of minors", organized crime, promoting terrorism and fraud.
Telegram ban: Is Telegram on the verge of being banned in India? Here's what you need to know
According to PTI, India's IT Ministry has asked the Home Ministry to look into the pending complaints against Telegram. Sources familiar with the matter said: "In light of what has happened in France, the Ministry of IT has asked the Ministry of the Interior to check complaints pending against Telegram and what action can be taken."
Since the IT Ministry and CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team) are not investigating agencies, the MHA has been tasked with acting on complaints against Telegram. It is not clear whether the move will lead to Telegram's ban in India.
Under the Information Technology Act, 2000, messaging apps like Telegram can use the "Safe Harbour" clause to protect themselves from user-generated content on their platform. However, the law also states that intermediaries such as Telegram must comply with certain conditions and act within the guidelines prescribed by law.
