When a Fake Court Order Tricked the Central Government
Imagine discovering that a major government department issued a nationwide order based on a completely fake judicial document. That is exactly what happened recently when the Allahabad High Court administration uncovered a massive cyber fraud. A fabricated court order was submitted to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), successfully convincing authorities to block 95 websites.
This shocking security breach came to light thanks to an inquiry triggered by a media query. It highlights major gaps in how administrative bodies verify legal documents before shutting down digital platforms. Now, the Uttar Pradesh Police have stepped in to investigate how fraudsters managed to fool government systems.
How the Fake Allahabad HC Order Got Exposed
The entire conspiracy unravelled when a technology reporter emailed the Allahabad High Court administration on October 30. The journalist wanted to confirm if an order found on the DoT website was authentic. The document was dated August 14, 2026, and was purportedly passed by Justice Garima Prashad in a case titled Sahil Singh v. Director General (DoT Cyber Law) and Others.
The High Court administration immediately ordered an internal check. The Registrar (Judicial)/Computer found that no such case number (Writ-A No. 30480 of 2026) existed in official court records. Furthermore, no such order had ever been passed or uploaded. The forged document even featured a fake court logo, seal, and a deceptive QR code that redirected users to a random webpage instead of a verified legal server.
Websites Blocked Based on Forgery
According to reports, the fraudulent order was sent to the DoT by an individual identifying as advocate Kartikey Pandey. Acting on this document, the DoT issued a direction on September 2 to internet service providers. The instruction commanded authorities to immediately block access to 95 websites accused of streaming fake Indian Premier League (IPL) matches and running betting platforms.
Shockingly, this was not an isolated incident. A similar investigation revealed a forged Rajasthan High Court order used to push another DoT directive on July 21, blocking 34 additional betting websites. In total, fraudsters manipulated central authorities into blocking 129 websites using fake judicial papers from two different High Courts.
What The Law Says
When someone creates fake legal documents to cheat government authorities, it is a serious criminal offense. Following a complaint by a Joint Registrar of the High Court, the UP Police registered an FIR against unknown persons under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023:
- Section 318(2) BNS: Punishes cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property (equivalent to old Section 420 IPC).
- Sections 336(2), 336(3), 337, and 338 BNS: Deal with forgery, forging valuable security, and fabricating false electronic records.
- Section 340(2) BNS: Relates to using a forged document or electronic record as genuine.
Forgery of judicial records strikes at the very heart of the justice delivery system. It undermines public trust and misuses executive machinery for illegal gains.
Why This Matters For You
This incident is a wake-up call about the rising sophistication of cyber forgery and digital impersonation. If fraudsters can trick central government ministries using fake court orders, everyday citizens and digital platforms must remain extremely vigilant. Cyber security agencies and government departments are now under pressure to tighten their verification protocols before executing sweeping takedown directives.
Always verify the authenticity of official notices and court orders through official government portals rather than unverified links.
Story reported by Supreme Court – High Court – Legal Breaking News | Live Law India. This article is BareLaw’s independent explanation and analysis.
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