An Indian court has mandated that ProtonMail, an encrypted email company, be blocked nationwide.
In response to a lawsuit brought by M Moser Design Associates, a company based in New Delhi, the Karnataka High Court ordered the Indian government to prohibit ProtonMail, a well-known email service renowned for its increased security, on Tuesday. The local company said that emails with pornographic and filthy content were sent to its staff members via Proton Mail.
Under the Information Technology Act of 2008, Justice M. Nagaprasanna directed the Indian government to “block ProtonMail, bearing in mind the observations made in the course of the order” at a hearing on Tuesday that was broadcast on YouTube.
According to the New Delhi-based company’s January complaint, Proton Mail should be regulated or blocked in India since, in spite of a police complaint, the email service allegedly refused to provide information on the source of the allegedly offensive emails.
The Indian government’s additional solicitor general, Aravind Kamath, had previously told the high court that the government might not be able to do much to address the petitioner’s concerns. Kamath also suggested that since the petitioner had filed a complaint, criminal courts could ask Swiss authorities for the necessary information.
TechCrunch’s examination of Proton Mail’s website in India indicates that the block has not yet been implemented. Proton Mail was approached by TechCrunch for comment; if we hear back, we’ll update this story.
This is Proton Mail’s second court decision in as many years that aims to prevent the encrypted email service from functioning in India. It is the most recent legal battle the company is experiencing.
The southern state of Tamil Nadu’s police department attempted to shut ProtonMail last year after it was discovered that the email service was being used to transmit fictitious bomb threats to nearby schools. According to reports, at the request of law enforcement, the Indian government’s IT ministry informed internet providers to disable ProtonMail. Nevertheless, the Swiss federal government stepped in to stop ProtonMail from being blocked.
At the time, Proton stated that blocking access to ProtonMail only stops law-abiding citizens from interacting safely and doesn’t stop hackers from threatening users of other email services, particularly if they are based outside of India.
However, in October 2024, the Delhi High Court ordered the Indian government’s home ministry and state police to look into the purported usage of ProtonMail nationwide. The Delhi High Court’s observations on Proton Mail’s usage in India would be examined, Kamath, the assistant solicitor general, had promised the Karnataka High Court.