Investigation Reveals Telegram Used for Child Sexual Exploitation Material and Financial Fraud in India

June 24, Kathmandu – A government investigation has revealed widespread use of Telegram in India for sharing content related to child sexual abuse and conducting financial fraud activities.

According to a 35-page report prepared by the Cybercrime Coordination Center under the Ministry of Home Affairs, the government is actively monitoring Telegram groups involved in such activities.

This report was submitted to the court to justify the government’s one-week ban on Telegram following the leak of medical college entrance examination question papers. The ban was lifted on Tuesday, though restrictions on the feature that allows editing of old messages remain in place until June 30.

The Indian government has also criticized Telegram’s privacy features that allow users to communicate without revealing their phone numbers, making it difficult to identify them. This feature is not available on WhatsApp, which has over 500 million users in India.

According to the report studied by Reuters, cybercriminals use Telegram to regain access to groups and channels that have been shut down. India is Telegram’s largest market, with over 150 million users. The app has also been the subject of investigations and controversies in other countries.