Modi's office summons telecom secretary over fake court orders used to block 129 betting sites

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office summoned Telecom Secretary Amit Agrawal on Saturday (14 November) to explain how officials ordered internet providers to block more than 100 websites on the basis of forged court orders. Reuters reported on Wednesday that the telecom department had directed providers to block 129 illegal betting websites under two purported High Court orders that were never registered, with fabricated seals and QR codes.

Forged orders emailed by people posing as lawyers

According to the Reuters investigation, people posing as lawyers emailed the purported orders of the Rajasthan and Allahabad High Courts to telecom officials, and the department issued blocking directives on 21 July and 2 September on that basis. The two forged orders carried fabricated court logos, blue seals bearing India's national emblem and fake QR codes, resembling genuine court documents; checks with the registries of both courts confirmed neither order had been registered. The department unblocked 95 of the 129 sites with immediate effect on Friday (13 November). As of Saturday, one of the fake orders was still accessible on a government website, while the other had been removed.

Criminal investigation opened; secretary's trip cut short

The findings have triggered a criminal investigation by state police into potential forgery and cheating by unidentified people. Two government officials with knowledge of the matter said the prime minister's office summoned Agrawal to appear and explain the lapse, cutting short his trip to another state. Agrawal is the most senior bureaucrat in the telecom ministry, which oversees telecom operators and internet providers.

Safeguards in takedown system under scrutiny

The case has raised concerns about safeguards in India's content-takedown system: if forged court documents can persuade officials to block websites, legitimate sites could be targeted the same way. Reuters noted the department issued the blocking orders without first verifying the purported court orders with the courts. With the prime minister's office now involved, scrutiny is intensifying; officials have not said whether any official will be held accountable or how the verification process will be fixed.

(File photo: India Gate, New Delhi.)