Telegram has disclosed the administrator names, phone numbers, and IP addresses of some of the channels accused of unauthorised sharing of exam preparation material with the Delhi High Court. The data was attached in a sealed cover to Telegram's October 6th affidavit filed at the Court, notes Justice Pratibha M. Singh's November 24th order, which placed both the affidavit and sealed cover on record. Copies of the data will be supplied to the petitioners, said the order, adding that these should not be disclosed to third parties except for the purpose of the proceedings. Disclosure to government authorities and the police is permissible. The disclosure was prompted by Justice Singh's response to Telegram's August submissions—it argued that it cannot disclose user data as it is stored in Singapore, where only local courts can order for information to be revealed. As reported by LiveLaw, Justice Singh's August 30th ruling rejected the argument, observing that "Courts in India would be perfectly justified in directing Telegram, which runs its massive operations in India to adhere to Indian law and adhere to orders passed by Indian Courts for disclosure of relevant information relating to [copryight] infringers. Infringers cannot be permitted to seek shelter under Telegram's policies merely on the ground that its physical server is in Singapore". The order subsequently directed Telegram to submit the accused's data in a sealed cover. Why it matters: As observed by LiveLaw, the case's precedent is now being used by petitioners seeking information from encrypted messaging apps in copyright…
