Fake court orders get 129 betting websites blocked in India: Here's how it happened

Getting a website blocked in India requires legal and regulatory approval. But what happens when the document behind such an order is not genuine? A Reuters investigation found that India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) acted on two fake High Court orders, blocking 129 betting websites across the country.

The documents falsely claimed to have been issued by the Rajasthan and Allahabad High Courts and were reportedly sent to government officials through email. The incident has raised questions about the checks followed before authorities issue website-blocking directions and whether fabricated legal documents can make their way through official channels.

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How fake court orders led to 129 betting websites being blocked

The DoT issued two website-blocking directions on July 21 and September 2, 2026. The first covered 34 betting websites, while the second instructed internet service providers to block another 95. According to Reuters, the purported Rajasthan High Court order was sent to the DoT through an email on July 19. Another document, attributed to the Allahabad High Court, arrived on August 22 from a person identifying himself as advocate Kartikey Pandey.

The documents reportedly contained details that made them appear like genuine judicial records, including blue court seals bearing India’s national emblem. The Allahabad High Court document also featured a QR code intended to verify the order. However, scanning it redirected users to an unrelated webpage displaying a case number. Reuters found that neither order appeared in the respective courts’ official registration records. The Rajasthan High Court’s registrar said the document appeared fraudulent, while the Allahabad High Court confirmed that it had not issued the order.

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The Allahabad High Court filed a police complaint on November 6 over alleged forgery and cheating. An investigation into the matter has been initiated against unidentified persons. No arrests had been reported at the time of Reuters’ investigation. It also remains unclear who created the documents or whether artificial intelligence was involved.

Fake Delhi Police notices also targeted digital rights groups on X

The alleged impersonation attempts were not limited to website-blocking requests. On November 6, social media platform X told the Delhi High Court that notices seeking the removal of accounts belonging to the Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) and Software Freedom Law Centre India (SFLC) were also fraudulent. The requests allegedly came from someone impersonating a senior Delhi Police officer and accused the organisations of defaming the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

X said its internal investigation identified the impersonation and that it had filed a complaint with Delhi Police. The notices invoked rules requiring platforms to act on valid content-removal requests within three hours. The incidents raise a larger question about how government agencies and technology companies verify the authenticity of legal instructions before blocking websites or restricting online accounts.