Govt cracks down on Telegram over pirated movies, OTT content, seeks report in 15 days

The Central Government is cracking down on top messaging platforms. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) has issued a formal warning to Telegram over the widespread, unauthorised distribution of copyrighted films and Over-The-Top (OTT) streaming content, as per a report by news agency ANI. Authorities have officially handed Telegram a strict 15-day deadline to overhaul its digital safety filters and submit an detailed Action Taken Report outlining how it plans to stop sharing of content illegally on its network.Citing sources, ANI posted on X “Government issues notice to Telegram over widespread piracy. I&B Ministry directs Telegram to take immediate measures against pirated films & OTT content and submit Action Taken Report in 15 days. Govt action to protect India’s creator economy, film industry, broadcasters, OTT platforms, producers, and distributors.”Telegram blocked before NEET examThe Centre has ordered access to messaging app Telegram restricted across India until June 22, a step the National Testing Agency (NTA) says is meant to shield candidates sitting the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination on June 21 from cheating rackets operating on the platform.The ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY) issued the direction on Tuesday under Section 69A of the IT Act, covering the test day and its immediate aftermath. A second order requires Telegram to switch off its message-editing feature in India till June 30 — a tool the NTA says rackets misused to plant question papers into old posts and pass them off as proof of a leak.The notice comes day after the Centre restricted the access to the messaging app to shield candidates sitting the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination on June 21 from cheating rackets operating on the platform.The ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY) issued the direction on June 16 till June22 under Section 69A of the IT Act, covering the test day and its immediate aftermath. The crackdown followed arrests on the ground after Ahmedabad City Cyber Crime busted an inter-state gang running eight Telegram channels, with roughly Rs 1.5 crore routed through fake accounts and about a thousand numbers contacted in a single month.Get the latest technology news and updates. Download the TOI App.