India blocks 129 betting sites based on forged court orders

The government's move to block online betting platforms was triggered by two counterfeit orders purportedly issued by a High Court, an investigation has found. Acting on what appeared to be legitimate judicial directives, authorities instructed internet service providers to restrict access to the websites, affecting a significant number of online gambling operations.

The discovery of the fake orders has raised serious concerns about the mechanisms through which such blocking directives are issued and verified. The fraudulent nature of the judicial orders went undetected initially, resulting in widespread internet shutdowns before the deception came to light.

The Allahabad High Court, whose name was misused in the forged orders, has responded by lodging a formal police complaint regarding the matter. Authorities are now investigating how the counterfeit documents were created and who was responsible for their circulation to government agencies.

The incident has sparked questions about the verification protocols used by internet service providers and government departments when processing court orders for content removal or website blocking. Officials have indicated that a review of existing procedures may be undertaken to prevent similar incidents in the future.