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India's Prime Minister's office called in the telecommunications secretary to explain how officials directed internet providers to block 129 websites using fabricated High Court orders sent by people posing as lawyers.
✦ AI SUMMARY 30-second read
- Telecom Secretary Amit Agrawal was summoned to explain how 129 websites were blocked using fake High Court orders emailed by people posing as lawyers.
- One criminal investigation has been launched by state police against unknown persons for forgery and cheating.
- The two fabricated High Court orders, containing fake logos, seals and a fake QR code, were publicly accessible on the Department of Telecommunications website for months.
Why it matters: The case exposes gaps in India's content-takedown system that could allow falsified court documents to suppress legitimate websites.
This summary was generated by AI. Editors may review and update it.
The office of Prime Minister Narendra Modi summoned Telecom Secretary Amit Agrawal on Saturday to explain how officials directed internet providers to block 129 websites based on High Court orders that turned out to be fake, according to two government sources with knowledge of the matter.
Agrawal, the most senior bureaucrat in the telecommunications ministry, had his trip to another state cut short to appear before the Prime Minister's office. The ministry and Modi's office did not respond to queries on the matter.
The websites had been blocked on the grounds that they hosted illegal betting services. While online betting is illegal in India, the case has raised serious concerns about the absence of safeguards in the country's content-takedown process.
What happened
Telecom officials directed internet providers to block the 129 websites after receiving what appeared to be High Court orders sent by email from individuals posing as lawyers. The two court orders at the centre of the case were found to contain fabricated court logos, seals and a fake QR code.
The fake orders were available publicly on the Department of Telecommunications website for months, along with correspondence showing government officials instructing internet providers to remove the websites. As of Saturday, one of the two fake orders had been removed from the site while the other remained accessible.
One government official said the action against the betting websites was carried out through relevant field officers within the Department of Telecommunications.
Investigations under way
The revelations have triggered at least one criminal investigation, with state police launching a case against unknown persons on charges of forgery and cheating. Police have also sought records from the telecommunications ministry as part of that probe.
Separately, the telecoms ministry initiated an internal investigation into the alleged fraud. The state court registry and police confirmed the High Court orders were fake, based on their own examination.
Broader context
The incident is part of a wider pattern of concern about fabricated legal documents, including those generated using artificial intelligence. India's Supreme Court set aside a tribunal's orders in July after finding they relied on non-existent judgements. A judge in the United States recently disqualified lawyers over the use of fabricated legal citations.
In India, the case has focused attention on whether the government's content-takedown process includes sufficient checks to verify the authenticity of court documents before websites are blocked.