A recent investigation has exposed a significant lapse in India's online content removal protocols, revealing that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) blocked 129 betting websites based on fraudulent judicial documents. These fake court orders, purportedly from the Rajasthan and Allahabad High Courts, were emailed to government officials, leading to widespread website blocks.
How the Forgery Unfolded
The DoT issued two separate website-blocking directives on July 21 and September 2, 2026. The initial order targeted 34 betting websites, followed by a second directive to internet service providers to block an additional 95 sites. The purported Rajasthan High Court order was sent to the DoT via email on July 19, while the alleged Allahabad High Court document arrived on August 22, sent by an individual identifying as advocate Kartikey Pandey.
The fabricated documents were crafted to appear authentic, incorporating details such as blue court seals bearing India’s national emblem. The Allahabad High Court document even featured a QR code, which, when scanned, redirected users to an unrelated webpage, exposing its deceptive nature. Crucially, Reuters confirmed that neither order was registered in the official records of the respective High Courts.
Official Response and Broader Implications
The Registrar of the Rajasthan High Court declared the document fraudulent, and the Allahabad High Court confirmed it had not issued any such order. Consequently, the Allahabad High Court filed a police complaint on November 6 over alleged forgery and cheating. An investigation is currently underway against unidentified persons, though no arrests have been reported. It remains unclear who created these sophisticated fakes or whether artificial intelligence played a role in their production.
This incident is not isolated. On November 6, social media platform X informed the Delhi High Court that notices seeking the removal of accounts belonging to digital rights groups, the Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) and Software Freedom Law Centre India (SFLC), were also fraudulent. These requests allegedly came from someone impersonating a senior Delhi Police officer. Such events underscore a critical challenge for both government agencies and technology companies: verifying the authenticity of legal instructions before implementing actions like website blocks or account restrictions.