Centre Directs Telegram to Remove Pirated Movies, OTT Content; Seeks Compliance Report in 15 Days

July 4, 2026

New Delhi: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) has issued a notice to messaging platform Telegram, directing it to take immediate action against pirated movies, web series and OTT content being circulated on the platform. The company has been asked to submit a compliance report within 15 days, according to sources.

The move is part of the Centre’s broader crackdown on digital piracy, which causes significant financial losses to India’s film industry, OTT platforms, broadcasters, producers and content creators by enabling the illegal distribution of copyrighted content.

Why the Government Issued the Notice

According to sources, the I&B Ministry has asked Telegram to strengthen measures against copyright violations and remove channels or groups involved in sharing pirated films, TV shows and premium OTT content without authorisation.

The government aims to safeguard India’s growing creator economy and protect the intellectual property rights of filmmakers, production houses, broadcasters and streaming platforms that continue to face heavy losses due to online piracy.

Telegram Previously Faced Temporary Ban During NEET Re-Exam

The latest action comes weeks after the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) temporarily blocked Telegram in India ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination.

The precautionary suspension, which remained in place until June 22, was imposed after authorities found that organised cheating rackets were allegedly using the platform to facilitate exam-related malpractice. Telegram’s message-editing feature also remained disabled until June 30 to prevent misuse.

The Delhi High Court later upheld the Centre’s decision, observing that the government had followed due legal procedure while invoking emergency blocking powers and that the restrictions were proportionate to the public interest involved.

Part of Broader Digital Oversight

The notice to Telegram comes just days after the Centre also asked Meta to pause the rollout of WhatsApp’s proposed username feature in India until consultations with the government are completed.

WhatsApp has since clarified that the upcoming username feature will be optional and will include safeguards to prevent impersonation, fraud and unwanted contact.

The Centre’s latest actions signal increasing scrutiny of digital platforms over issues related to copyright protection, user safety, misinformation and regulatory compliance.