Amid the row over its decision to temporarily restrict access to Telegram, the Centre, in an affidavit submitted before the Delhi High Court, stated that the messaging platform has emerged as a major cause of concern for law enforcement agencies as it is being extensively used by criminals to avoid detection, making it the “new dark web.”
It further stated that Telegram has turned into a growing nexus for cybercriminals, extremist groups, fraudsters and other malicious actors seeking to avoid detection.
Centre’s affidavit in court
The submission was made in connection with a case in which Telegram is challenging government measures directed at certain channels and content hosted on the platform.
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According to the affidavit, Telegram has become a preferred medium for activities ranging from the circulation of leaked examination papers, including NEET question papers, to cyber fraud, financial crime, drug trafficking, terrorism-related propaganda and the dissemination of child sexual exploitation material.
“Telegram has become the new dark web, linking threat actors. Criminals have rapidly adopted Telegram to post links on channels that connect to dark web forums through deep web links, making it hard for authorities to track and attribute criminals,” the Centre said, as reported by India Today.
Concerns over privacy features
Expressing reservations about its privacy settings, the government argued that Telegram’s privacy architecture has played a significant role in attracting criminal elements. Investigators, it claimed, often face difficulties identifying users because the platform allows individuals to conceal key account details, including phone numbers and Telegram IDs.
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“It has been observed that Telegram is being exploited for illegal activities, including drug trafficking, cybercrime, extremism, terrorism, child exploitation, and cyber scams and frauds, primarily due to privacy features,” stated the affidavit.
The Centre further alleged that Telegram channels and groups are being used to distribute extremist content and propaganda linked to terrorist organisations.
Terror and abuse concerns
“Extremist violent acts performed by terror organisations and other radical content are being propagated by Telegram groups and channels by entities associated with terrorist organisations to create misinformation or destabilise public order,” the affidavit stated.
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The affidavit highlighted the circulation of Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material (CSEAM) as a particularly serious concern. It also claimed that cybercriminals routinely use Telegram to create fraudulent identities, coordinate attacks, publish stolen data and operate financial scams.
Referring to information from the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, the government said complaints involving Telegram-linked cyber fraud have risen significantly.
Rise in cyber fraud cases
Authorities additionally flagged Telegram channels allegedly involved in trading mule bank accounts, distributing malware, promoting tools designed to bypass security protections and facilitating access to personal data sourced from earlier breaches. The Centre also accused the platform of enabling widespread piracy through channels that distribute movies, web series and other copyrighted material without authorisation.
The affidavit represents the government’s assessment of the risks associated with Telegram and forms part of the ongoing proceedings before the Delhi High Court.
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