'New dark web': Centre tells court Telegram is now terrorists' platform of choice

The Centre has accused Telegram of becoming a major platform for cybercrime, terrorism-linked propaganda, financial fraud and child sexual abuse material, telling the Delhi High Court that the messaging app now functions as the "new dark web" for threat actors and criminal networks.

The allegations were made in an affidavit filed before the Delhi High Court after Telegram challenged the government's temporary ban on the platform, India Today reported on Thursday.

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Defending its decision, the Centre argued that Telegram's privacy features, cloud-based architecture and bot ecosystem have made it increasingly difficult for law-enforcement agencies to identify offenders and prevent illegal activities.

Centre flags a wide range of illegal activities

In the affidavit, the government alleged that Telegram is being used for several unlawful activities, including the circulation of leaked examination papers such as NEET, cyber fraud, terrorism-linked propaganda, child sexual exploitation material, drug trafficking and financial crimes.

"Telegram has become the new dark web, linking threat actors. Criminals have rapidly adopted Telegram to post links on channels that connect to dark web forums through deep web links, making it hard for authorities to track and attribute criminals," the Centre said.

The government said Telegram's privacy and anonymity features have made it particularly attractive to criminal networks.

According to the affidavit, users can conceal identifiers such as phone numbers and Telegram IDs through privacy settings, making it difficult for investigators to establish the real identities behind accounts.

"It has been observed that Telegram is being exploited for illegal activities, including drug trafficking, cybercrime, extremism, terrorism, child exploitation, and cyber scams and frauds, primarily due to privacy features," the affidavit said.

Concerns over bots and platform architecture

Appearing for the Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Delhi High Court that inputs from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), under the Ministry of Home Affairs, had repeatedly highlighted structural issues that make misuse of the platform difficult to control.

Mehta said Telegram allows a single account holder to create up to 40 bots, unlike platforms such as WhatsApp where bot creation is more restricted.

"They say we are doing it manually. MHA has a unit called I4C, they give periodical reports. All lead to a conclusion that their architecture is such that they are unable to do what is required in such circumstances," Mehta told the court.

According to the Centre, the ability to create multiple bots allows fresh accounts to emerge even after existing ones are blocked.

"The scale at which it can multiply is only available on Telegram," Mehta said, adding that action against individual bots often provides only temporary relief because similar accounts can quickly reappear under different names and identifiers.

'Most preferred platform' for terror activities

The Centre argued that Telegram's cloud-based infrastructure and privacy settings make it harder for law-enforcement agencies to trace criminal activity and identify offenders.

Mehta also referred to Telegram's privacy policy, which states that deleting an account removes all associated messages, media and stored data.

Linking the issue to national security, the government said reports available with authorities had identified Telegram as the "most preferred platform" for terrorist activities.

The affidavit further alleged that Telegram groups and channels are being used to spread extremist content and material linked to terrorist organisations.

"Extremist violent acts performed by terror organisations and other radical content is being propagated by Telegram groups and channels by entities associated with terrorist organisations to create misinformation or destabilise public order," the affidavit stated.

Child abuse content and cyber fraud concerns

Among the most serious concerns raised by the Centre was the circulation of Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material (CSEAM) through Telegram groups and channels.

The government said such content remains a major challenge for enforcement agencies monitoring online platforms.

The affidavit also alleged that Telegram has become a hub for cybercriminal activity, with fraudsters creating fake accounts using false identities to carry out scams, publish data breaches and coordinate cyber offences.

Citing data from the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, the Centre said complaints involving Telegram-linked cyber fraud have risen significantly.

Authorities also flagged the alleged use of Telegram channels for the sale and purchase of mule bank accounts, which are often used to move proceeds from cybercrime and money-laundering operations.

Malware, data leaks and piracy

According to the Centre, cyber threat actors and hacker groups use Telegram channels and groups to coordinate attacks, distribute stolen data and share malicious software.

The affidavit claimed that some malicious Android applications use Telegram as a command-and-control platform to extract users' data and device information.

The government also cited examples of Telegram channels allegedly promoting malware services, Google Play Protect bypass tools and malicious applications disguised as financial services.

In one case, a Telegram channel allegedly advertised tools designed to make malicious APK files appear undetectable to security systems. In another, malware was allegedly being promoted through apps impersonating financial and payment-related services.

The affidavit further alleged that Telegram bots are being used to provide access to citizens' personal information, including mobile numbers, Aadhaar details and other sensitive data obtained from previously leaked databases.

Apart from cybercrime-related concerns, the Centre also claimed that Telegram channels are widely used to distribute pirated movies, web series and other copyrighted content, causing losses to content creators and raising intellectual property concerns.

The affidavit forms part of the Centre's defence before the Delhi High Court and outlines what it describes as the growing misuse of Telegram by criminal, extremist and cybercrime networks.