Fresh crackdown on China-linked apps: Modi govt plans to ban over 200 betting and loan apps, says report

In a fresh crackdown on mobile apps with Chinese links, the Narendra Modi administration is planning to ban 138 betting apps and 94 lending apps, according to sources quoted by news agency ANI.

The operations of the apps were found to be prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India, as per the report. The government had received multiple complaints alleging extortion and harassment of people who had availed of small loans through the apps.

People were allegedly lured into taking loans, and then the rates of interest were raised to as high as 3,000% per annum. Those unable to pay were threatened and harassed, and there were even some cases of suicide in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, as per the report.

Based on these inputs, the MHA started analysing 28 Chinese loan lending apps six months ago. However, they found that 94 apps are available on e-stores and that others are working through third-party links.

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It is learnt that these apps are the brainchild of Chinese nationals who hired Indians and made them directors in operation.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) issued 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.

(With ANI inputs)