A court in India has ordered the blocking of Proton Mail, an encrypted email provider. The decision follows a complaint by New Delhi-based M Moser Design Associates, who alleged that its employees received obscene emails via Proton Mail. The court issued the order on Tuesday, citing concerns raised by the company and the email service’s refusal to share sender details despite a police complaint. Justice M Nagaprasanna directed the Indian government to block Proton Mail under the Information Technology Act 2008.
In its complaint, M Moser Design Associates argued that Proton Mail should be regulated or blocked in India due to its refusal to cooperate with local authorities.
The company claimed that it was unable to identify the sender of the emails, despite the fact that a police complaint had been filed. Additional solicitor general Aravind Kamath had suggested that criminal courts might need to seek assistance from Swiss authorities.
He noted that the Indian government’s role in addressing these concerns might be limited.
While the court has issued the order, Proton Mail has not yet been blocked in India, according to checks made by TechCrunch. The company has not yet responded to requests for comment. This legal challenge marks the second attempt by Indian authorities to block Proton Mail after a similar case in Tamil Nadu in 2024. The Tamil Nadu police had sought to block Proton Mail after it was allegedly used to send hoax bomb threats, though Swiss authorities intervened to prevent the block.
Proton Mail has defended its position, arguing that blocking the service would only harm law-abiding citizens who rely on secure communication. The company pointed out that cybercriminals could easily use other services to carry out threats if Proton Mail was blocked. In a separate case, the Delhi High Court has called for further investigation into Proton Mail’s usage across India. The Indian government has assured the court that it will review the situation as part of ongoing inquiries.
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