Fake High Court Orders Led to 129 Betting Site Blocks

The Department of Telecommunications directed internet providers to block 129 betting websites after receiving two purported High Court orders that the courts later said were not genuine. Uttar Pradesh Police are investigating alleged forgery and cheating connected to the Allahabad High Court document, while the identities of those who created or circulated the orders remain unknown.

The department issued its first blocking direction on July 21, covering 34 websites, and a second on September 2, covering 95. Each direction was accompanied by an emailed document presented as an order from either the Rajasthan or Allahabad High Court. Court records reviewed in the investigation did not show either order as registered.

The Allahabad High Court administration filed a police complaint on November 6 after an internal check found that the document had not been issued by the court. The purported order, dated August 14, used the name of Justice Garima Prashad and called for 95 websites to be blocked. Her office confirmed that she had not issued it, according to police records.

The first information report names alleged offences including cheating, forgery, forging court records and using...