The Modi government is probing Telegram, a popular messaging app, over its potential involvement in extortion and gambling activities.

The ministry of home affairs’ Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) and the ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY) are jointly conducting this probe to assess the platform’s role in facilitating criminal activities, officials said.

While a ban on Telegram in India is not entirely off the table, the final decision will hinge on the outcome of the ongoing investigation.

The app, with a substantial user base of over 5 million in India, has not yet issued a public statement addressing the government’s scrutiny.

The investigation into Telegram comes on the heels of the recent arrest of its founder, Pavel Durov, in Paris on charges related to moderation policies. It is widely used in France as a messaging tool, including by some officials in the presidential palace and the ministry behind the investigation into Durov.

But French investigators have also found the app has been used by Islamic extremists and drug traffickers, reports said.

The Indian government initiated the probe after receiving reports of illegal content, including fraud, extortion, drugs and gambling, being shared on the platform without adequate oversight.

Telegram’s large group chat capabilities, which allow for up to 200,000 participants, have raised concerns about the potential for misinformation to spread rapidly.

The app has been implicated in various criminal activities, such as the recent UGC-NEET question paper leak, where the leaked exam paper was allegedly widely shared and sold on the platform.

The Modi government’s stance on Telegram will likely be shaped by the evidence gathered and the potential risks posed by the platform. The outcome of this probe could have significant implications for the regulation of messaging apps in India.