Central government has initiate the process to ban and block 138 betting apps and 94 loan lending apps with Chinese links on an ‘urgent‘ and ‘emergency‘ basis, top government sources said.
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is learnt to have taken the decision base on the recommendations of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
According to sources, the MHA recommend the MeitY this week to ban and block these apps, and the Ministry subsequently initiate the process as per communication.
This move was taken after confirming that these apps attract Section 69 of the IT Act as they contain material which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India.
BREAKING NEWS : India bans 138 betting apps, 94 loan lending apps with Chinese links
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The action behind the move is base on many complaints of extortion and harassment of common people who had avail small amounts of loans through the mobile apps being run by those entities and persons.
It is learnt that these apps are the brainchild of Chinese nationals who hire Indians and made them directors in operation.
According to inputs, desperate individuals are lur into taking on a loan and then jack up the interest by up to 3,000% annually.
When the debtors were unable to repay the interest, let alone the entire loan, individuals representing these apps started harassing those in debt.
They sent them lewd messages, threatening to release their morph photos and shaming them with messages to their contacts.
This matter came into the spotlight after a spate of suicides, particularly in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, by those who opt for such loans or lost money to betting apps.
States like Telangana, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh as well as central intelligence agencies had then ask the Union Home Ministry to take action against these apps, as per sources.
The MHA start analysing 28 Chinese loan lending apps six months ago.
They found that 94 apps are available on e-stores and that others are working through third-party links.
It is learnt that many apps are now not available to download on smartphones but sources say the betting apps and games are being download through independent links or websites.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) issue an advisory, stating that since betting and gambling are illegal in most parts of the country, advertisements of these betting platforms, as well as their surrogates, are also illegal under the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act 2019, Cable TV Network Regulation Act 1995 and the IT Rules, 2021.
