Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Says India Has “Punished” 150 Million Users With Temporary Ban

Pavel Durov has criticised India’s temporary restriction on Telegram, saying the move has unfairly affected more than 150 million ordinary users in the country.

Speaking about the issue on Tuesday, the Telegram CEO argued that the ban failed to stop the alleged misuse of the platform and instead pushed such activities to other messaging apps.

Durov Criticises India’s Telegram Restriction

According to Durov, the temporary restriction imposed by Indian authorities has mainly impacted regular users rather than preventing exam-related fraud or leaks.

“The ban has not stopped anything,” Durov reportedly said, adding that the alleged leak networks and scam groups simply migrated to other platforms after Telegram access was blocked.

India Restricted Telegram Over NEET Leak Concerns

The Indian government recently imposed temporary restrictions on Telegram after authorities claimed that several channels and groups were being used to spread fake NEET exam paper leak claims and scam students.

Officials alleged that fraudsters were using Telegram to demand money from medical entrance exam candidates by falsely promising access to leaked examination papers.

The move came after controversy surrounding the NEET medical entrance examination, where allegations of paper leaks led to the cancellation of millions of test results and nationwide scrutiny.

Telegram Editing Features Also Restricted

Along with the temporary platform restriction, Indian authorities also reportedly disabled some Telegram features, including advanced message-editing functions, until the end of June.

Officials claimed the editing system was allegedly being misused to alter old messages and create fake “proof” of exam paper leaks after examinations had already concluded.

Telegram Says Users Are Being Affected

Durov argued that broad restrictions on messaging platforms hurt ordinary citizens who rely on the service for communication, education, work, and business activities.

India is considered one of Telegram’s largest global markets, with millions of active users across the country.

Debate Over Platform Responsibility Continues

The controversy has reignited debates over how governments should handle misuse of encrypted or semi-private communication platforms.

While authorities argue that stronger action is needed to stop scams and misinformation, critics warn that platform-wide restrictions can impact digital freedoms and legitimate users.

Telegram has previously faced criticism in multiple countries over allegations that the platform is used for:

• piracy distribution
• fraud operations
• misinformation campaigns
• cybercrime groups
• illegal marketplaces

At the same time, the company maintains that it regularly removes harmful content and cooperates within legal limits to tackle abuse on the platform.