Telegram Ban Sparks Fresh Row! Founder Pavel Durov Accuses Reliance of 'BGP Hijacking'

Telegram users in India are facing a temporary block after the government restricted access to the messaging app until June 22, 2026, over alleged circulation of leaked NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination papers. The order has triggered a wider technology dispute after Telegram founder Pavel Durov accused Reliance of interfering with access to the app beyond India.

The restriction was reportedly recommended by the National Testing Agency and enforced by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000. The re-examination is scheduled for June 21, making the timing of the block significant for students, investigators and internet service providers.

Why Telegram has been Blocked in India?

Authorities acted after several Telegram channels were allegedly found selling papers linked to the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination. The alleged networks were said to be targeting candidates with prices ranging from a few thousand rupees to several lakhs. The government's move appears aimed at limiting distribution before the exam date.

Telegram has often been used for large public channels, file sharing and private groups, which makes it useful for communities but difficult to police at scale. In exam leak cases, enforcement agencies usually try to identify original uploaders, administrators, payment trails and forwarding networks rather than only blocking one app.

Durov criticised the order, saying it affects ordinary users who had no connection with the alleged leak. In a post on X, he wrote that the ban "punishes 150M+ ordinary Telegram users in India - not the insiders who leaked the exam materials." He also claimed that the leaked material had already shifted to other platforms.

Durov's Reliance and WhatsApp Allegations

The dispute widened after Durov alleged that Reliance was disrupting Telegram access for users outside India, including in the UAE. He claimed the disruption was being caused through "BGP hijacking", a network routing issue where internet traffic is incorrectly directed through another network path, potentially causing outages or degraded access.

"Indian telecom Reliance is sabotaging access to Telegram for millions of users OUTSIDE India (including the UAE) via a rogue method called BGP hijacking," Durov wrote on X. He further alleged that the issue appeared intentional because Reliance had ignored multiple reports. Reliance has not issued a public response to the material provided.

Durov also suggested the matter may be connected to competition in the messaging market, pointing to Reliance's investments from Meta. Meta owns WhatsApp, Telegram's biggest rival in India. However, the allegation that Reliance or WhatsApp influenced lobbying for the Telegram ban remains Durov's claim and has not been independently established.

What the Telegram Ban Means for Users

For regular users, the immediate impact is disruption to chats, channels, communities and businesses that depend on Telegram for communication. The temporary nature of the order means access could return after June 22, unless the government extends the restriction or issues fresh directions based on the investigation.

The case also highlights a recurring policy challenge for India's digital ecosystem. Authorities need fast action when exam integrity is at risk, but broad platform-level blocks can affect millions of unrelated users. Messaging apps, telecom operators and regulators are likely to face closer scrutiny as the NEET re-examination deadline approaches.