The Government of Nepal is preparing to shut down the social media platform Telegram, citing its use in fraud and money laundering activities.
The National Coordination Committee for the Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorist Activities, under the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, has initiated the process to ban Telegram.
According to the source, the committee sent a letter to the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology on July 17, requesting that Telegram be brought under legal action.
Gajendra Kumar Thakur, spokesperson for the Ministry, confirmed about the letter.
“We have received the letter, but rather than immediately shutting it down, the directive is first to assess whether Telegram is being used for money laundering-related activities,” Thakur said. “We will consult with the Department of Money Laundering Investigation, Nepal Police, and other relevant agencies. Only after that, a decision will be made.”
According to the source, during a recent meeting of the committee, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deepak Thapa briefed the members that criminal activities, including fraud, were increasing via Telegram and were linked to money laundering.
Thakur mentioned that a decision regarding this could be made by Sunday.
The committee is chaired by the Secretary of the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers and includes secretaries from the Ministries of Finance, Law, Home, and Foreign Affairs, as well as representatives from the Office of the Attorney General and the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority. The Deputy Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank, the Inspector General of Nepal Police, and the Chief of the Department of Money Laundering Investigation are also members.
As per the source, IGP Thapa had stated, “Most of the crimes happening online today are linked to Telegram,” adding, “ Most of them are associated related to frauds.”
