Telegram has become the “new dark web”, the Center told the Delhi High Court
The Union government on Thursday (Jun 18, 2026) submitted to the Delhi High Court that messaging platform Telegram has evolved into the “new dark web”, arguing that its architecture and privacy features have made it a preferred tool for cybercriminals, fraud networks, extremist and terrorist groups and operators involved in document leaks.
The government’s submissions relied heavily on an assessment by India’s Cybercrime Coordination Center (I4C) that the platform was a growing hub for illegal online activities.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the central government during the hearing of Telegram’s petition challenging the temporary ban imposed in India till June 22, 2026 under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 ahead of the National Eligibility Entrance Test (University) or NEET (UG), told the court that it has been repeatedly asked for proactive monitoring and illegal enterprise. suspicious channels on the platform. However, Mr. Mehta said, the company failed to take any meaningful action.
“Telegram has become the new dark web that connects threat actors. Criminals quickly adopted Telegram to send links to channels that connect to dark web forums via deep web links, making it difficult for authorities to track and attribute criminals,” he said.
The center’s affidavit also details how Telegram is allegedly used by cyber threat actors to coordinate attacks, distribute malware and facilitate financial crime. Telegram channels are alleged to host marketplaces for leased and mule bank accounts used in money laundering and cyber fraud. These channels allow criminals to exchange information about bank accounts, UPI manipulations and cryptocurrency conversion mechanisms, while the interface makes it increasingly difficult for the police to track them as new channels keep popping up.
“The entire population of a channel, around one million, can be moved to another channel in seconds. This is unique to Telegram and poses a serious risk,” the general counsel said.
In support of its claims, the center pointed to a spike in cybercrime complaints linked to Telegram. Data submitted to the court shows that complaints on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal related to Telegram increased from 75,688 in 2023 to 2.75 lakh in 2025, with reported fraud amounts exceeding ₹3,000 crore in 2025. In 2026, more than 88,000 such complaints had already been recorded by May.
“In Telegram, one account can create 40 bots. In WhatsApp, it’s one bot per user,” Mr Mehta said, referring to the I4C report. The platform works through a cloud infrastructure, so those who commit crimes cannot be tracked, he said.
The center has also linked Telegram to the spread of extremist content. The court said that channels linked to radical groups use the platform to spread propaganda, disinformation and material designed to destabilize public order.
“Other countries have taken action on Telegram for terrorist activities carried out on the platform. We have a list of such actions and countries,” he said.
A bench of Justice Tejas Kataria examined the government’s rationale for the platform-wide restrictions, even as it acknowledged concerns about investigative malpractice and cybercrime.
“How can we stop the rights of 150 million people just because one group of citizens shows up for exams?” Justice Tejas Karia said after hearing submissions from both sides.
“When there is a riot and internet services remain suspended in an area where there are only 10% miscreants and the rest are common public, we cannot avoid such bans as far as law and order is concerned,” Mr Mehta said in response.
Since Telegram has a feature that allows you to modify the date and time, the app could be misused in the NEET exam, he said. “This happened in 2024. The question paper was released after the exam was conducted but they changed the date to the previous day of the exam and students then protested on the roads claiming that the paper was leaked. We want to avoid such a law and order situation as around 22 lakh students are taking the exam this time,” Mr Mehta said.
Senior advocate Dhruv Mehta, appearing for Telegram, said the government had failed to justify the use of emergency powers and failed to show why specific content could not be blocked rather than banning access to the entire platform.
“The order says it is in the interest of India’s sovereignty and integrity. Will an exam like NEET affect India’s sovereignty and integrity? What is the application of the mind?” he said.
The Bench, however, took note of the seriousness of the allegations of leaking the investigation. Judgment was reserved.
Published – 18 Jun 2026 15:57 IST