Delhi HC Uphold's Centre's Temporary Telegram Ban Linked to NEET Leak Case

The Delhi High Court on Friday upheld the Central government's decision to temporarily ban messaging platform Telegram in India, saying the move was justified due to concerns over the NEET-UG exam leak controversy.

A Bench led by Justice Tejas Karia dismissed Telegram's challenge against the ban and ruled that the government had acted within its powers. The court said the temporary restriction was a reasonable step taken in an emergency situation and was not excessive.

The government had blocked access to Telegram until June 22 after allegations surfaced that organised groups used the platform to circulate leaked NEET-UG examination material. The action came after the original medical entrance examination was cancelled amid claims of question paper leaks and other irregularities.

"R1 (Government) was empowered under Section 69A to direct blocking of access to Telegram. Test of proportionality is satisfied ... The government's measures are least restrictive. It cannot be held that the order is disproportionate," the Bar and Bench Court quoted the court as stating, while dismissing Telegram's petition challenging the ban.

Apart from restricting access to the app, the government had also directed Telegram to disable the editing of already-posted messages until June 30. Authorities argued that this would help prevent misuse of the platform during the investigation.

Telegram opposed the decision, claiming it was being unfairly targeted while other social media platforms continued to operate normally. The company argued that it had cooperated with Indian authorities and had taken swift action against content linked to the exam leak controversy.

According to Telegram, it held several meetings with government agencies and responded to their concerns. The company said it removed flagged content within an hour of receiving specific links from authorities on June 9. It also claimed to have taken down more than 900 links connected to leaked NEET content and exam-related scams.

Telegram further stated that it uses artificial intelligence, machine learning tools and human moderators to identify and remove harmful content.

The platform's founder and CEO, Pavel Durov, criticised the temporary ban, saying it affected millions of ordinary users rather than those responsible for leaking exam papers.

In posts on social media, Durov argued that blocking Telegram had not solved the problem because those involved in sharing leaked material had simply moved to other platforms. He also highlighted the company's efforts to remove channels spreading leaked exam content and fraud-related information.

Meanwhile, the issue of the NEET re-examination continues to be heard in courts. The Supreme Court on Friday declined requests for an urgent hearing on matters related to the NEET re-test scheduled for June 21.

The court said all issues concerning the examination are already being considered by a Bench headed by Justice PS Narasimha. Lawyers representing students argued that many candidates were facing stress and uncertainty due to rumours circulating online and ongoing legal proceedings linked to the exam leak controversy.

The NEET controversy has sparked nationwide debate over exam security, fairness and the impact of paper leaks on lakhs of students preparing for one of India's most competitive entrance examinations.