Key facts
- The telecoms department issued blocking directions on July 21 and September 2, covering 34 and 95 betting websites respectively.
- The Rajasthan High Court's registrar told Reuters its order "appears to be fraudulent" and was not on its server.
- The Allahabad High Court filed a police complaint on November 6; police said no arrests had been made.
- The Allahabad order carried a QR code that led to a random webpage showing case number "Writ -- A 30480/2026".
- Both directives and the attached orders remained on the ministry's website as of Wednesday, per Reuters.
- The telecoms department did not respond to Reuters queries; Reuters could not establish who created the orders.
India's Department of Telecommunications ordered internet providers to block 129 betting websites in 2026, attaching two state high court orders that Reuters found were fake. The directives, dated July 21 and September 2, are published on the department's website as part of its routine uploads. Gambling is illegal under Indian law.
Reuters reported that neither order appears in the courts' online registration records. The Rajasthan High Court's registrar said in an email that the order bearing its name "appears to be fraudulent" and did not exist on its server. The Allahabad High Court found its order was fake and filed a police complaint on November 6, according to police case documents, which showed an investigation against unknown persons for alleged forgery and cheating.
"It is fake. It is not a genuine order from High Court of Allahabad," Ghanshyam Yadav, a senior state cybercrime official, told Reuters by telephone on Tuesday. He said no arrests had been made.
According to Reuters, the telecoms department received an email at 8:59 p.m. (1529 GMT) on Sunday, July 19 containing what appeared to be a Rajasthan High Court order, signed by "Aryan Chaudhary", described as an advocate-on-record. A Reuters query to the email used by Chaudhary bounced back as "Recipient not found". The order included an instruction to execute its directions within 24 hours and was based on an Indian IT law provision allowing takedowns in the interest of national security. Two days later the government told providers to remove 34 betting websites.
The second order, issued under the Allahabad High Court's name, carried the court's logo and seal and a QR code that led to a random webpage displaying the case number "Writ -- A 30480/2026". Reuters said the same number was cited by an individual identifying himself as advocate Kartikey Pandey, who sent the order to Indian officials on August 22; a Reuters query to the email cited in the correspondence received no response. On September 2 an Indian official told providers to block access to 95 betting websites.
The Allahabad order was signed under the name of "Justice Garima Prashad". Police case documents reviewed by Reuters say Prashad's office confirmed that "no such order has been passed by Her Ladyship." The telecoms department did not respond to Reuters queries, and Reuters could not ascertain who created the fake orders, which bore blue court seals with India's national emblem. Both remained on the ministry's website as of Wednesday.
Reuters also reported that X told an Indian court that police directives sent to two free speech groups warning them about removal of their accounts were found to be fake. India's Supreme Court in July set aside a tribunal's orders that relied on non-existent judgments.