India begins investigation into blocking of websites based on fake court orders

Indian authorities have launched an investigation into the blocking of websites based on fake court orders, with police requesting records from the Ministry. According to a Reuters report, a department of the Ministry of Telecom directed internet service providers to block 129 illegal betting websites this year, but these directions were based on fake orders issued in the name of two state High Courts. These fake orders were sent to officials via email by fraudsters posing as lawyers.

This incident has raised questions regarding security standards in India's content-takedown system. Concerns are growing that in the future, even legal websites could be blocked using fake documents. A government official with direct knowledge of the matter stated that the Ministry of Telecom will review its processes and is considering taking additional verification steps before blocking websites based on court orders. The official further added that this is a serious matter and in the future, genuine websites could potentially be blocked in this manner.

The Ministry is attempting to identify the individuals behind the email addresses through which fake orders were sent in the name of the Rajasthan and Allahabad High Courts. The Ministry is planning to revoke the blocking directions issued based on these fake orders and remove the relevant documents from its website. By Thursday, correspondence with these fraudsters and copies of the fake orders were available online. The Ministry of Telecom has not responded to queries regarding this.

An investigation by the Allahabad High Court revealed that one of the orders cited by the Ministry had not been issued by the court, prompting police to launch a criminal investigation. According to the Reuters report, a fake court logo, seal, and fake QR code were used in this document. Uttar Pradesh cyber crime officer Ghanshyam Yadav stated that police have sought details of the Ministry's content management system and digital logs to understand how the fake orders were processed and to help identify the responsible individuals. He further stated that police have sent 24 questions to the Ministry.

Following the Reuters report, politicians and activists have demanded robust verification of court orders before blocking websites. Opposition politician Saket Gokhale wrote on X that the Ministry did not even bother to verify these alleged court orders, which is a very frightening matter.

Concerns are growing in India regarding fake and AI-generated legal content. In July, India's Supreme Court quashed a tribunal decision that was based on non-existent judgments.