Platform-Wide Blocking of Telegram Upheld: Delhi High Court Applies Proportionality Doctrine to Prevent NEET Exam Fraud and Public Order Disruption

1. Case Snapshot

Case Name: Telegram FZ LLC & Anr. vs Union Of India & Ors

Citation: W.P.(C) 8259/2026 & CM APPL. 39036/2026

High Court: High Court of Delhi

Bench: Hon'ble Mr. Justice Tejas Karia (Vacation Judge)

Date of Judgment: 19th June, 2026

Area of Law: Constitutional Law, Information Technology Law, Intermediary Liability, Public Order, Examination Integrity, Proportionality

2. Judgment in Brief

The Delhi High Court dismissed a writ petition filed by Telegram challenging the interim and final orders passed by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, directing the temporary blocking of public access to the Telegram platform and disabling its message-editing feature. The orders were issued in response to widespread misuse of Telegram for circulating fraudulent examination papers, misinformation, and engaging in illegal activities related to the NEET UG, 2026 examination, which was scheduled for re-conduct on 21.06.2026. The Court held that the orders did not suffer from non-application of mind, as they contained sufficient reasons and were based on material on record. The Court further held that the temporary platform-wide blocking was proportionate, as narrower measures (takedown of specific channels) had proved ineffective due to Telegram's architectural features enabling rapid creation of mirror channels, audience migration, and mass dissemination. The Court interpreted Section 69A broadly to include the power to block an entire platform, as "information" under the IT Act includes codes, computer programmes, and software.

3. Relevant Facts

Background of the Dispute

• The petitioners, Telegram FZ LLC (a UAE-registered company) and its Nodal Officer in India, challenged orders passed by MeitY under Section 69A of the IT Act.

• Telegram is a cloud-based messaging platform with approximately 150 million users in India, offering features such as large public channels, automated bots, file-sharing, and message-editing functionality.

Misuse of Telegram for NEET UG, 2026

• On 21.05.2026, the National Testing Agency (NTA) informed MeitY about the misuse of Telegram by third parties in relation to the NEET UG, 2026 examination.

• The misuse included:
  Circulation of fake examination papers.
  Dissemination of misleading information.
  Fraudulent activities including demands of money from candidates in exchange for purported access to re-examination material.
  Operation of channels with names like "PAPER LEAKED NEET", "Re-NEET 2026", "Private Mafia", and "REE NEET MAFIAA".
  Use of Telegram's message-editing feature for "backdating scams" to create fake chat artifacts.

• The Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) reported that Telegram was being used for various unlawful activities, including child sexual exploitation material, deepfake content, digital arrest fraud, and malware deployment. I4C had pursued corrective measures on at least 35 separate occasions since October 2024.

Engagement with Telegram

• MeitY issued a notice on 01.06.2026 convening a meeting with Telegram and NTA on 03.06.2026.

• Telegram submitted a detailed reply on 02.06.2026 and participated in the meeting.

• Telegram took down the identified URLs and engaged with the authorities.

• However, despite takedown actions, the fraudulent ecosystem continued to proliferate through the creation of new channels, backup channels, rotated handles, and burner accounts.

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