India, home to an estimated 104 million Telegram users according to World Population Review, represents the largest user base for the messaging platform globally. Recent reports from The Times of India indicate that Telegram is now under investigation in India following the arrest of its co-founder, Pavel Durov, in France on August 24.
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The investigation, spearheaded by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, is examining allegations of gambling, extortion, and other illegal activities facilitated through the platform. The outcome of this probe could lead to a possible ban of the Telegram app in India, significantly impacting its vast user base in the country.
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Conflicting Reports from Indian Users
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Amid the investigation, individual users have reported mixed experiences on the X social media platform (formerly known as Twitter). Some claim that they can no longer access the Telegram Wallet feature in India, encountering an “unsupported region” message. However, other users have stated that they still have access to the Telegram Wallet, suggesting inconsistencies in the service availability.