New Delhi [India], July 19 (ANI): Messaging platform Telegram on Saturday refuted claims of non-cooperation with authorities and defended its security practices following reports that the app has been banned in Nepal.
In an official statement, Telegram said it was “surprised” by the Nepali government’s decision to block the service, insisting it has consistently complied with legal requests from Nepali authorities.
“Telegram is surprised by these statements. We have consistently responded to Nepal’s legal requests. Telegram actively moderates harmful content on its platform and removes fraud and money laundering whenever discovered,” the company said.
On Friday afternoon, the Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) issued a notice directing all telecommunication service providers to block access to Telegram with immediate effect.
“As the number of online frauds through the Telegram App operating in Nepal is continuously increasing, and it has been understood that there is involvement in serious crimes such as money laundering, all relevant telecommunication service providers have been directed through this notice to immediately block/close access to the Telegram App,” the NTA’s one-line order stated.
The regulator did not specify how many fraud or money laundering cases were linked to the app. Last year, during the hacking of F1 Soft — the dominant online transaction platform used by Nepali banks — police discovered that Telegram was used for communication, which has since increased scrutiny of the app.
Nepal, with a population under 30 million, has about 16.5 million internet users as of early 2025, representing an online penetration rate of 55.8 percent, according to government data.
Telegram also noted that it has recently been unblocked in Vietnam, where authorities had banned it in May this year.
Addressing broader concerns, Telegram dismissed claims of global controversy over security and data breaches, asserting: “Telegram’s security is provably secure using its open-source apps and fully documented encryption protocols. To date, no viable means of breaking the encryption Telegram uses has ever been found.” (ANI)
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