Google restored Telegram on Tuesday morning after the government lifted its temporary ban that ended at midnight on June 22. However, access remains limited for some users - Apple users continued to face delisting until 11:00 am, while existing users were able to access the platform before Google's restoration. The app is now functional on both App Store and Playstore, but users experiencing continued issues can follow specific troubleshooting steps. For Play Store users, they should go to Settings > Apps > search Telegram > Force Stop > reopen app and wait for connection. App Store users can install the latest update, force-close the app, and relaunch to allow reconnection. Despite the official end of government restrictions, many users continue to report partial service disruptions and connectivity issues even after the restriction period ended.
The Indian government has revealed it is "proactively monitoring" Telegram groups and channels over concerns about illegal content distribution. According to a 35-page report by the Home Ministry's Cybercrime Coordination Centre submitted in court, the government is particularly concerned about Telegram's privacy features that allow users to interact without revealing phone numbers, making identity detection difficult. This contrasts with WhatsApp, India's most popular chat app with over 500 million users, where phone numbers are required for interaction. The report specifically notes that "cyber criminals use Telegram to access closed groups/channels" and that "India is proactively monitoring such Telegram groups and channels." Telegram and the Home Ministry did not respond to queries about the report, as reported by Reuters.
Telegram has taken the Indian government to court over its decision to temporarily ban the messaging platform days before millions of students retake a crucial medical entrance examination. The company challenged the decision on Wednesday, a day after officials blocked access to the app over concerns it had been used to distribute leaked exam papers. The case has come up in the Delhi High Court, which ruled on Friday that the restrictions were lawful, proportionate and necessary to safeguard the integrity of the examination process. The court rejected Telegram's contention that the government had acted arbitrarily or failed to follow due process. Sources familiar with the matter said there had been no extension or modification to the government's original order, which was upheld by the court after Telegram's legal challenge.
The government's report reveals more than 688,000 complaints about Telegram as a medium for cyber fraud since 2023, causing an estimated loss of some $750 million to Indian citizens. According to the government report, there were 1,556 complaints linked to the use of Telegram between January and May this year, with multiple channels, groups, and user handles reported for online harassment and disseminating child sexual abuse content. In court, Telegram argued that an internal review found that illegal content represented less than 0.1 per cent of content on its platform. However, the government's report contradicts this claim, highlighting the ongoing dispute over the platform's content moderation effectiveness.
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has called the ban a "mistake," arguing it would punish millions of users while doing little to stop those responsible for the leaks. In a post on X, Durov criticised the ban and argued that it would not "stop anything," as those responsible for the leak would have already moved to other apps. Calling Telegram a "force for good," he said the platform had "removed hundreds of channels sharing leaked exam materials and related scams in India" in recent weeks. He added that Telegram was making its "edited" label more prominent to help prevent backdating scams. The controversy stems from allegations that question papers for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) - India's largest medical entrance examination were leaked before the test was held last month. The case is being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and more than a dozen people have been arrested so far.
