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States » SouthPosted at: Apr 29 2025 8:40PM


Karnataka HC orders Centre to block Proton Mail

Bengaluru, Apr 29 (UNI) In a development that could have wide ramifications for internet privacy and regulation, the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday directed the Union government to initiate proceedings to block the encrypted email service Proton Mail in India, citing its misuse and the national security threat it allegedly poses.
Justice M Nagaprasanna issued the directive while hearing a plea by M Moser Design Associates India Pvt Ltd, a private company that found itself at the centre of a cyber abuse scandal.
The firm had approached the court after a series of vulgar and defamatory emails about one of its employees were sent via Proton Mail to colleagues and clients. The anonymous nature of the platform, the petitioner argued, had stymied the police investigation, as Proton Mail refused to divulge the sender’s details.
"The operation of such a service without any regulation in India, and with its potential to be misused with impunity, poses serious risks," the court observed, directing central authorities — including the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology — to act under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2008, read with Rule 10 of the IT Blocking Rules, 2009.
The court also ordered immediate blocking of the offending URLs, while asking the government to initiate proceedings to block Proton Mail’s services in the country.
Representing the petitioner, Advocate Jatin Sehgal submitted that Proton Mail, headquartered in Switzerland, had not only refused cooperation but had actively removed its servers from India.
Sehgal alleged the service was also being used to send bomb threats to schools and claimed the company’s own website advised users on how to bypass Indian monitoring systems.
"It only takes 30 seconds to create an anonymous Proton ID. This is not just our concern — this is a national threat," he argued.
While the central government’s counsel, Additional Solicitor General Aravind Kamath, acknowledged the limitations in direct intervention due to jurisdictional constraints, he informed the court that the appropriate process under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) with Switzerland had to be triggered by the investigating officer through the criminal court.
Kamath also assured that the Centre would consider the Delhi High Court’s recent observations regarding Proton Mail’s usage.
The High Court’s strong remarks and clear directive mark a rare judicial intervention into encrypted communication platforms.
The final judgment is awaited, but Tuesday’s order effectively mandates the Union government to begin the legal process to block Proton Mail in India.
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