Home / Crime and Justice / Fake Court Orders Led to 129 Website Blocks in India
Fake Court Orders Led to 129 Website Blocks in India
12 Nov
Summary
- Government blocked 129 websites based on forged court orders.
- Two high courts confirmed orders used were fake and unregistered.
- Investigation launched into forgery and cheating for website bans.
The Indian government's Department of Telecommunications (DoT) issued directives to block 129 websites after being misled by forged court orders purportedly from the Rajasthan and Allahabad High Courts. These fake orders, featuring fabricated court seals and signatures, were emailed to the DoT, prompting immediate action against websites within a 24-hour timeframe.
Investigations by both high courts confirmed the orders were non-existent within their official records. The Rajasthan High Court is considering legal action, while the Allahabad High Court has filed a police complaint against unknown individuals for forgery and cheating. Authorities are working to trace the origin of the fraudulent documents and identify those behind the scheme.
The DoT acted on these fake directives on July 21 and September 2, leading to the blocking of 95 gambling and 34 betting websites. This incident raises serious questions about the verification mechanisms employed by the government before executing website-blocking orders and the potential misuse of AI for generating deceptive official documents.
