Modi Summons Telecom Secretary Over Fake Court Order Takedowns
Prime Minister Narendra Modi summoned Telecom Secretary Amit Agrawal after the government blocked 129 websites using forged court orders.
The office of Prime Minister Narendra Modi summoned Telecom Secretary Amit Agrawal on Saturday to explain the removal of more than 100 websites based on fraudulent court orders. The Department of Telecommunications directed internet providers to block 129 illegal betting websites after receiving fake High Court orders via email from individuals posing as lawyers.
These forged documents utilized fabricated seals, logos, and QR codes. The orders remained publicly accessible on a government website for several months before the lapse was discovered. While online betting is illegal in India, the incident has raised concerns that the current content-takedown system lacks necessary safeguards and could be exploited to block legitimate websites.
The Department of Telecommunications has launched an internal investigation into the failure. Simultaneously, state police have initiated a criminal probe focusing on forgery and cheating. The Supreme Court of India previously noted that the use of forged signatures of judges strikes at the foundation of public trust and that such criminal acts cannot be treated as routine offenses.
