India bans Telegram over channels selling leaked NEET exam papers
Telegram has been banned in India after the government accused it of hosting channels selling leaked NEET exam papers, sparking concerns about exam fairness.
The ban order was issued on June 16 after about two weeks of exchanges and meetings, while the results had been canceled in May due to suspected leaks, with a retest scheduled for June 21.
Telegram, with 150 million Indian users, is fighting the ban in court, saying it hurts free speech.
Government cites misuse, Telegram challenges ban
The government says Telegram's large groups and anonymous chats made it easy for scams to spread, especially around NEET.
Despite Telegram claiming it works to remove illegal content, officials felt its efforts weren't enough and enforced the ban using emergency powers.
Now Telegram is pushing back legally, arguing that the move is an overreach and impacts millions who rely on the app every day.