Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has charged Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorist activities and initiated procedures to place him on the international wanted list, according to Russian state-run news agency TASS.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has alleged that the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak was orchestrated through an extensive digital network, with confidential question papers circulated via WhatsApp, Telegram, and electronic files among conspirators days before the examination.
Messaging platform Telegram has submitted its reply to the IT Ministry's notice regarding its 'username' feature, which allows users to communicate without sharing phone numbers, following a similar submission by WhatsApp.
The Indian government has issued a notice to Telegram, demanding a crackdown on the widespread dissemination of pirated films and OTT content. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting seeks an Action Taken Report within 15 days, emphasizing a shift towards platform accountability for copyright infringement, which is deemed a criminal offence.
India's IT Ministry has issued notices to Telegram and Signal, following a similar action against WhatsApp, questioning their username features due to concerns over increased online fraud, phishing, and impersonation. The government is seeking explanations on how these platforms address such risks, with one homegrown app already disabling the feature.
Instant messaging platform Telegram has been restored in India after a week-long government ban, imposed due to its alleged role in circulating leaked NEET examination papers, expired. The Delhi High Court had upheld the ban as lawful and necessary.
The Delhi High Court has upheld the Indian government's decision to temporarily restrict access to Telegram, citing the messaging app's capacity for 'automated dissemination' of large content, which could facilitate misinformation during the crucial NEET-UG retest.
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has accused Reliance Group, which has a partial Meta stake, of lobbying for a ban on Telegram in India and sabotaging its access for users outside India through BGP hijacking. A senior telecom industry source dismissed these claims as 'fake news,' stating Durov confused Reliance Communications with Reliance Industries Ltd. The allegations come as the Indian government has ordered Google and Apple to delist Telegram temporarily and disable its message-editing feature in India due to concerns over paper leaks in the NEET-UG examination.
The Delhi High Court has asked the Centre to respond to Telegram's petition challenging a temporary government order that restricts access to its platform and disables message-editing features in India, citing concerns over potential cheating during the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) and IIT Madras have justified the temporary restriction on Telegram ahead of the re-NEET examination, stating the platform was allegedly used to fabricate evidence of question paper leaks through edited messages with old timestamps, a claim criticised by the Internet Freedom Foundation as a 'disproportionate' response.
The Centre on Thursday informed the Delhi high court that the Telegram messaging app was being exploited for illegal activities ranging from cybercrime and financial frauds to terrorism and circulation of leaked examination papers.
Google has removed the messaging app Telegram from its Play Store in India, with Apple expected to follow, in compliance with a government order aimed at preventing paper leaks during the upcoming NEET-UG re-examination on June 21. The government has also directed Telegram to temporarily disable its message-editing feature until June 30.
The Indian government has temporarily restricted access to the Telegram messaging app and disabled its message-editing feature in India until June 22, 2026, and June 30, 2026, respectively, ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination to combat organised cheating rackets.
Maharashtra Cyber has arrested a Telegram-based seller, Adiraj Rajendra Bait, for allegedly dealing in Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Material (CSEAM). The arrest followed an extensive investigation involving digital ecosystem monitoring, technical verification, and forensic analysis of the accused's mobile phone.
The Delhi High Court has questioned the Centre's decision to temporarily restrict access to Telegram ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination, asking how the rights of 150 million users can be curtailed due to concerns over a few miscreants. The court reserved its verdict after hearing arguments from both sides.
A 26-year-old woman accountant in Thane was allegedly cheated of Rs 6.97 lakh in an online "task" fraud involving product purchases and buybacks. Four individuals have been booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and IT Act, with efforts underway to apprehend them.
A college student in Kochi has been arrested for allegedly morphing photographs and videos of teachers and female students into obscene content and circulating them on social media platforms like Telegram and Instagram. The arrest followed a complaint from the college management, which also dismissed the student. Police are investigating the extent of the network and potential financial motives.
Senior executives from Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, appeared before India's child rights body, NCPCR, for questioning regarding alleged advertisements promoting child sexual exploitative and abuse material (CSEAM) on its platforms. This follows a BBC report and a stern notice from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to Meta over the issue.
Their stories will go unheard, filed somewhere in the banal footnotes of history. Unwritten, untold, undocumented, notes Binu Alex.
The Saudi-led coalition issued a stern warning to Yemen's Houthi rebels after intercepting a drone targeting Mecca, Islam's holiest city. Describing it as a "hostile and terrorist act," the coalition declared the security of holy sites a "red line" and vowed deterrent measures. This incident marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict, with both sides exchanging accusations of military operations and civilian targeting.
'The FFI jury said Gondhal is the best film in terms of overall quality -- the sound, background music and cinematography.' 'In every aspect, I don't think this film can be compared to other Indian films. This may sound like overconfidence, but we know what we have done.'
Top Meta India executives, including chief Arun Srinivas, appeared before the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) for the second time in a week regarding alleged Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material (CSEAM) related advertisements on its platforms. Meta has committed to reporting child safety matters directly to India's I4C cybercrime portal, a significant shift from its previous practice of reporting to a US-based centre. The government is pushing for stronger safeguards and accountability from social media platforms to ensure online child safety.
India has once again raised alarms over the escalation in the security situation in the Red Sea area and strongly condemned Houthi strikes targeting Saudi Arabian territory, "including on civilians and economic assets."
Gujarat CID has arrested Rafiqul Alam, the alleged 'mastermind' behind 1,090 cybercrimes totalling Rs 1,071.5 crore, who was found to have links with China-based criminals and converted illicit funds into cryptocurrencies.
Some see in the CJP the potential of weakening the Opposition. Hence the BJP/RSS's 'softly softly catchee monkey' approach, with co-option being the ultimate aim, points out Aditi Phadnis.
For five Mumbaikars who were teenagers or in their 20s during the 1980s, the decade was not a sepia-toned Instagram filter. It was their everyday life, they tell Rediff's Rishika Shah. And while they remember its limitations, what they seem to miss most is something technology can't recreate -- the unhurried warmth of human connection.
The Indian government has sought explanations from WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal regarding their username features, citing serious concerns about potential impersonation and cybercrime. IT Secretary S Krishnan highlighted the risks, leading to notices being served to these platforms, with WhatsApp specifically asked to pause its rollout of the feature.
A collection of 688 autographed reflections by Mahatma Gandhi, compiled into 'A Thought for the Day', was sold for a record Rs 16.20 crore at a Saffronart auction, becoming the world's most expensive Indian historical document sold at auction.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has strongly criticised the Indian government's temporary restriction on Telegram ahead of the NEET-UG re-examination, calling it a 'new trick' that punishes students instead of tackling the root cause of paper leaks. He highlighted the suicides of two students, Umesh and Riya, linking their deaths to the 'broken, corrupt system' and the government's alleged failure to protect students from exam mismanagement.
Meta-owned WhatsApp has submitted its reply to the government's notice on the "username" feature and the response is being examined, sources said on Thursday.
The Indian government has extended the deadline for implementing SIM-binding rules for mobile messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram to December 31, following requests from the industry. The Department of Telecom has also relaxed the mandatory six-hour log-out rule for web versions of these apps.
Meta-owned WhatsApp has been granted more time to submit its response on the contentious 'username' feature and assured the government that it will not roll it out in India until discussions are complete, according to sources.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stressed on Friday (local time) that Tehran remains prepared for "full-scale defence" should the US betray the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two countries last month.
US President Donald Trump has announced the cancellation of a planned attack on Iran, contingent on Tehran agreeing to rapidly open the Strait of Hormuz and end its nuclear programme. This decision follows appeals from Middle Eastern countries and includes Israel's commitment, though Iran had previously warned against any "adventurous action" from the US.
WhatsApp is testing new ways for users in India to confirm their age as it prepares to comply with upcoming legal requirements, including those related to the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, the Meta-owned messaging platform said on Tuesday.
India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has sought an explanation from WhatsApp regarding its username feature, citing concerns over potential cybercrime facilitation. Concurrently, the ministry is investigating reported data leak allegations involving Tata Electronics, a key supplier for Apple's iPhone components in India. MeitY is also exploring techno-legal solutions for VPNs to address challenges posed by unregistered providers operating from outside India.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Saturday (local time) announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz "until further notice," stating that the strategic waterway would remain shut until the United States ends its "interference" in the West Asia region, Press TV reported.
The United States on Saturday (local time) launched a third round of strikes against Iran after alleging that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attacked the Cyprus-flagged container vessel M/V GFS Galaxy in the Strait of Hormuz.
'I was fortunate enough to be associated with two of the most important battles fought by the Indian Army, the Battle of Tololing and Battle of Tiger Hill.' 'Sometimes, I think how I survived those battles on Tololing and on Tiger Hill.'
'Thank you Los Angeles for your hospitality'
