129 betting websites were blocked on the basis of two fake high court orders, Reuters finds
The telecom department told internet providers to block the sites after receiving orders attributed to the Rajasthan and Allahabad high courts that the courts never issued.
- Sites blocked: 129
- Fake orders: 2
- Police complaint filed: 6 November
What Reuters found
A Reuters investigation published on 11 November found that India's telecom department this year ordered internet providers to block 129 illegal betting sites based on two orders that appeared to come from the Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh high courts. Neither order appears in the courts' records, and the Rajasthan High Court registrar said the document seemed fraudulent. The forged papers carried blue court seals.
What happened next
After Reuters raised the issue, the Allahabad High Court confirmed its order was fake and filed a police complaint on 6 November. The telecom department did not respond to Reuters. It is not known who made the forgeries or why, but the case suggests fake orders can slip through India's website-blocking system.
