Telegram CEO Pavel Durov barred from leaving France as he’s charged in probe into organised crime: What does it mean?

France has banned Telegram messaging app CEO Pavel Durov from leaving the country as the French authorities charged him in an investigation linked to “organised crime” on his messaging app. Russian-born Pavel Durov was arrested on Saturday, August 24, at Le Bourget airport outside Paris as part of the investigation into “organised crime” and released earlier Wednesday, August 28, after four days of questioning. 

On Wednesday, French law enforcement agencies filed preliminary charges in connection with the probe, and investigative judges ordered Pavel Durov to pay 5 million euros ( ₹46,71,01,043) bail before being let off. The French judge also ordered the tech mogul to report to a police station twice a week.

What do preliminary charges mean? According to the news agency AP, preliminary charges under French law mean that magistrates have a strong reason to believe that a crime was committed. However, before sentencing the accused, they allow more time for further investigation.

What are the charges against Pavel Durov? The authorities believe that the Telegram app was being used for child sexual abuse and drug trafficking. It is also alleged that Telegram had refused to share information or documents with investigators when required by law.

The first preliminary charge against him was “complicity in managing an online platform to allow illicit transactions by an organised group”.

According to CNN, Pavel Durov is under investigation for several suspected offences tied to criminal activity on the messaging app, including aiding illegal gang transactions, laundering in an organised crime group, and withholding information from authorities, according to a statement from the French prosecutor.

Pavel Durov, the Russian-born founder of Telegram, is currently based in Dubai. He became a naturalised French citizen in August 2021.

Pavel Durov, the founder of the VKontakte social network, left Russia in 2014 after he refused to share VKontakte users' data with Russian security services. Later, Russia unsuccessfully attempted to block Telegram because of its refusal to provide users' online communications to security services.

(With agency inputs)