Telegram, the popular messaging app, is under fire. Its founder and CEO, Pavel Durov, was arrested by French authorities and faces an investigation on 12 different charges. Further, Moneycontrol has reported that Indian authorities are also investigating Telegram over concerns related to online fraud, extortion and gambling concerns.
Here’s everything you need to know about Telegram and why the app is facing so much controversy.
Telegram CEO Arrested
Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov was arrested by French authorities on Saturday night. Initially, the arrest was said to be related to a lack of moderators on the messaging app.
However, the French public prosecutor has released a press release stating that Durov is being prosecuted on 12 charges. These charges include complicity in providing a platform for illegal transactions for an organised group, complicity in possessing pornographic images of minors, complicity in distributing, offering or making pornographic images of minors, complicity in acquiring, transporting and possessing narcotic substances, complicity in organised fraud, criminal association, refusal to cooperate with government authorities, money laundering and more.
Telegram has issued an official statement regarding the arrest of Durov, and it says:
- Telegram abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act. Its moderation is within industry standards and constantly improving.
- Telegram’s CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe.
- It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner is responsible for abusing that platform.
- Almost a billion users globally use Telegram as a means of communication and as a source of vital information.
- We’re awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation. Telegram is with you all.
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, said: “The arrest of the president of Telegram on French soil took place as part of an ongoing judicial investigation. It is in no way a political decision. It is up to the judges to rule on the matter.”
Telegram Under Investigation in India
In India, the IT Ministry has asked the MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) about the status of complaints against Telegram following the arrest of Pavel Durov and that the IT Ministry is seeking clarification on whether similar violations exist in India and what actions are required.
MoneyControl reports that Indian authorities are investigating Telegram over extortion and gambling concerns. The report says that the investigation is being led by the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) under MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) and MeitY (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology).
Telegram has been at the forefront of several controversies in recent times. NEET-UG 2024 papers were allegedly leaked and widely shared on Telegram, and several people have been losing money through various scams on the platform.
Telegram has also become a go-to platform for many looking for illegal content, thanks to its large group sizes and generous file download limit of 2GB. It remains to be seen what action the Indian authorities will take against Telegram.
