Online messaging app Telegram has seriously come under legal trouble in many countries. Now, the Telegram ban in India is looming over the company, especially after the arrest of CEO Pavel Durov. For the unversed, Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, was arrested on August 24, 2024, at Le Bourget Airport in Paris after arriving from Azerbaijan. As per reports, Pavel Durov's arrest is connected to an ongoing investigation into Telegram’s alleged role in facilitating criminal activities due to a lack of moderation on the platform. Now, the question arises why India is mulling to ban Telegram or what are the charges against Telegram in India? Below is what we know so far-
Telegram ban in India
As per a news portal, the Central government has launched an investigation against Telegram App for extortion and gambling. Telegram messaging app has over 5 million registered users in India. However, Telegram ban in India is certainly looming. The future of the messaging app in India will depend on the findings of the investigation. According to the report, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology have launched a probe and are looking into company’s P2P communications.
The ministries are specifically looking into the involvement of Telegram in criminal activities such as gambling and extortion. So far, Telegram has not issued a statement regarding the probe.
Who is CEO Pavel Durov and why he has been arrested?
Pavel Durov, who was born in Russia, now lives in Dubai, where Telegram is based. YThe 39-year-old Russian-born entrepreneur enjoys dual French and UAE citizenship. His wealth is estimated by Forbes to be £15.5 billion (£12 billion). Durov fled Russia in 2014 after refusing to shut down opposition groups on VK, a social media network he used to own.
Telegram released a statement defending Durov and the company. The statement said that Telegram follows all European Union laws, including the Digital Services Act. The company stressed that Durov has nothing to hide and often travels around Europe. Telegram also rejected accusations that it or Durov should be blamed for any illegal activity on the platform. They reaffirmed their support for user privacy and free speech.