Telegram founder Pavel Durov on Tuesday criticized India's temporary ban on the messaging platform, alleging misuse of internet routing systems by Reliance Industries and suggesting possible competitive pressure involving Meta Platforms, Inc.
(NASDAQ:META).
Durov also called the government's action disproportionate, arguing it penalizes millions of users while failing to stop exam fraud networks.
India Blocks Telegram Over Exam Leak Concerns Indian authorities temporarily restricted access to Telegram after allegations that leaked question papers from the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) were circulated on the platform.
Officials said the move aimed to curb organized cheating rackets ahead of a scheduled retest, even as they acknowledged inconvenience to legitimate users.
