New Delhi, November 14, 2026: The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has reportedly summoned Telecommunications Secretary Amit Agrawal after an investigation revealed that 129 online betting websites were blocked using forged High Court orders.
According to Reuters, two government officials confirmed that the PMO sought an explanation over how the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) acted on fraudulent legal documents without detecting the forgery.
Fake Court Orders Used to Block 129 Websites
The controversy emerged after a Reuters investigation found that telecom officials had instructed internet service providers to block 129 betting websites based on fake orders attributed to the Rajasthan and Allahabad High Courts.
The forged documents were reportedly submitted through emails by individuals impersonating lawyers.
The documents contained fabricated court seals, logos and QR codes, making them appear authentic.
PMO Seeks Explanation From Telecom Secretary
Following the revelations, the PMO summoned Telecom Secretary Amit Agrawal to explain the lapses in the website-blocking process.
According to government sources cited by Reuters, Agrawal was asked to cut short an official trip to another state.
The development indicates increased scrutiny of the department’s procedures for verifying court orders before directing internet service providers to block websites.
High Courts Confirm Documents Were Fake
Investigations found that the purported court orders did not match official judicial records.
The Allahabad High Court confirmed that an order attributed to it was fabricated and initiated legal action.
A police complaint was registered in Prayagraj on November 6 against unidentified individuals on allegations of forgery and cheating.
Authorities are investigating who created and submitted the fraudulent documents.
Telecom Department Launches Internal Investigation
The Department of Telecommunications has initiated an internal inquiry into how the forged court orders were processed.
Investigators are examining official correspondence, digital records and the procedures followed before website-blocking directions were issued.
Police have also sought information from the telecom department to identify those responsible for submitting the fraudulent documents.
Incident Raises Concerns Over Online Security
Although the affected websites were associated with illegal online betting, the incident has raised wider concerns about the reliability of India’s website-blocking system.
Experts have warned that inadequate document verification could allow fraudulent requests to restrict access to legitimate websites.
The case highlights the need for stronger authentication procedures when government departments receive court orders relating to digital content.
Investigation Continues
Authorities have not yet publicly identified the individuals responsible for creating the forged court orders.
The telecom department’s internal review and the criminal investigation remain ongoing.
The latest PMO intervention has brought renewed attention to transparency, accountability and security in India’s online content-blocking process.
Supreme News Network
