According to a PTI report, with Telegram CEO Pavel Durov in French custody, the Indian IT ministry has asked the Home Ministry to investigate if there have been any violations on the Telegram app in the Indian context. The IT ministry wants to know if there are any complaints pending against Telegram, then appropriate action should be taken against the app in India as well. “In view of what has happened in France, the IT ministry has asked the Home Ministry to investigate the pending complaints against Telegram and find out what action can be taken,” the PTI report quoted a source as saying.

According to the report, “The basic question here is whether there is a complaint, whether the situation is similar in India, what is the position and what action is required.”

Meanwhile, another report by Moneycontrol states that the Indian government is investigating its alleged misuse particularly in extortion and gambling.

According to the report, the ongoing investigation by the Indian Cyber ​​Crime Coordination Centre and MeitY is not linked to violation of Information Technology (IT) rules. An official confirmed that the platform complies with these rules, which mandate the appointment of a nodal officer, a chief compliance officer, and publication of monthly reports. Officials plan to assess the information received and take a decision in accordance with local laws.

India Today Tech has also reached out to Telegram for a statement on the matter. We are awaiting a response.

On August 25, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov was detained in France, accused of failing to adequately regulate criminal activity on the platform. French authorities allege that this negligence allowed illegal activities such as fraud, drug trafficking, organized crime and the promotion of terrorism and cyberbullying to flourish on Telegram. Telegram immediately dismissed the allegations as “absurd”, and said that Durov “has nothing to hide” and that the platform complies with EU laws, including the Digital Services Act. Durov faces up to 96 hours of questioning, after which he could be charged or released.

“Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and frequently travels to Europe. It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner is responsible for the abuse of that platform. Nearly a billion users around the world use Telegram as a means of communication and a source of important information. We look forward to a speedy resolution of this situation. Telegram is with you all,” the company wrote in a post on X. The statement further said, “Telegram complies with EU laws, including the Digital Services Act – its moderation is within industry standards and is constantly improving.”

The ongoing legal battle underscores the tension between Telegram’s commitment to privacy and freedom of expression and Western governments’ demands for stricter content moderation. Amid these developments, rumors have been spreading falsely claiming that Telegram will be removed from app stores or automatically deleted from users’ devices. These rumors are false.