Fake Court Orders Used to Block 129 Gambling Websites in India

^{Forged court order bearing an official-looking seal on India’s Department of Telecommunications website}

Indian authorities ordered the blocking of 129 gambling websites based on two court orders that turned out to be fake. Reuters uncovered the forgeries, prompting a police investigation.

India’s Department of Telecommunications issued the blocking orders on July 21 and September 2, 2026, relying on documents purportedly issued by the Rajasthan and Allahabad High Courts.

The first arrived by email on July 19 from someone claiming to be a lawyer. It demanded that the department enforce a Rajasthan High Court ruling within 24 hours, citing legislation allowing websites to be blocked on national security grounds. The department subsequently instructed internet service providers to restrict access to 34 gambling sites.

A second email arrived on August 22, also from someone posing as a lawyer. It contained an alleged Allahabad High Court ruling, which led to another 95 websites being targeted for blocking on September 2.

Both forgeries resembled genuine court papers, complete with blue stamps bearing India’s national emblem. The second even featured a QR code intended to verify its authenticity.

However, scanning the code opened a page displaying only a case number.

When Reuters checked official court records, it found no trace of either ruling and contacted the courts for clarification. A Rajasthan High Court official said the document appeared to be forged, while the Allahabad High Court confirmed that the ruling attributed to one of its judges had never been issued.

The Allahabad High Court reported the matter to police, who launched an investigation into suspected forgery and fraud. No arrests have been made.

The identity of those behind the scheme remains unknown, as does whether artificial intelligence was involved. Authorities have not disclosed which websites were affected.

India’s parliament passed a law banning online games involving real money in August 2025. The legislation also prohibits advertising such services and processing related payments.

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