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India blocks 129 betting websites after forged court orders
The Department of Telecommunications issued two blocking directions based on documents purportedly from the Rajasthan and Allahabad High Courts.
India’s Department of Telecommunications ordered internet providers to block 129 betting websites in two directions issued on 21 July and 2 September, after receiving forged court orders.
The documents purported to come from the Rajasthan and Allahabad High Courts, but neither appeared in the courts’ official records, The Gamblest reported, citing a Reuters investigation. The Rajasthan High Court registrar confirmed that the documents were fraudulent.
The first document, purporting to be from Rajasthan High Court, reached the department by email on July 19. It was signed by a purported advocate-on-record, Aryan Chaudhary, though the email showed an error when it entered the system.
On July 21, authorities directed internet service providers to block 34 gambling sites listed in that document.
The second document purported to be from Allahabad High Court and included its logo, seal and a QR code. The code led to an unrelated site showing the number of a different case.
A person identifying himself as advocate Kartikey Pandey used the same case number in a letter sent with the document to authorities on August 22. Following further correspondence, the department ordered another 95 betting sites blocked on September 2.
After Reuters raised concerns, Allahabad High Court filed a police complaint on 6 November. Police subsequently opened an investigation into alleged forgery and cheating; no arrests have been made.
It is fake. It is not a genuine order from High Court of Allahabad.
It remains unclear who created the documents or whether AI was involved. The findings raised concerns about weaknesses in India’s process for blocking online content.