Durov said the restriction failed to prevent the circulation of leaked material, claiming that such activities merely shifted to other platforms. He also alleged that Reliance had disrupted access to Telegram.
Responding to the allegations, Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited rejected speculation surrounding its role in the disruption. In a statement posted on X, the company said recent discussions regarding Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited and a Border Gateway Protocol route misconfiguration had led to speculation about its involvement. The company categorically denied any role in the incident and stated that it continued to operate its network in accordance with global internet routing best practices and the highest standards of reliability, security and transparency.
Government officials maintained that the restriction was temporary and represented a proportionate response to an active cyber fraud ecosystem targeting one of India's largest public examinations. Authorities and cybersecurity experts argued that the issue extended beyond examination integrity and involved organised fraud networks exploiting anxious students and their families.
According to material prepared in support of the restriction, Telegram channels carrying names such as "PAPER LEAKED NEET" and "Re-NEET 2026" were allegedly being used to run extortion schemes. Investigators said operators demanded amounts ranging from Rs 14,000 to Rs 25,000 and, in some cases, as much as Rs 10 lakh from candidates and parents in exchange for question papers that did not exist.
Officials also raised concerns over Telegram's message editing feature, which allows administrators to modify old posts while preserving the original timestamp. Investigators alleged that fraudsters altered previously harmless messages after the examination and circulated screenshots of the modified posts as purported evidence of paper leaks.
Neehar Pathare, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of 63SATS Cybertech, supported the decision, stating that the future of 2.2 million students took precedence over temporary access to a single digital platform.
Manish Chachada, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of cybersecurity firm Cyble, said the episode underscored the challenge of balancing digital freedom with public security. He added that fraud networks frequently migrate across platforms, making enforcement efforts increasingly complex.
The controversy has highlighted the growing tension between safeguarding digital rights and protecting millions of students from sophisticated cyber fraud operations, placing authorities under pressure to strike a balance between public security and unrestricted online access.
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