Brijesh Desai 
India Withholds Proton VPN GM David Peterson’s X Account announced 120% surge in India sign-ups following Telegram’s 150-day temporary ban over NEET exam fraud. Daily registrations spiked 120% Wednesday, 150% hourly Tuesday evening.
India has withheld access to Proton VPN General Manager David Peterson’s X account after he posted about a massive surge in VPN sign-ups following the government’s temporary ban on Telegram over NEET exam fraud concerns.
The X post now reads:Â “This post from @davidgpeterson has been withheld in India in response to a legal demand”.
The Telegram Ban Context
What Happened:
“MeitY blocked Telegram for 150M Indian users over leaked exam questions”.
The NEET Exam Fraud Case:
- 19-year-old Air Force aspirant allegedly created fake NEET papers using AI tools
- Sold through Telegram channel at Rs 4,000 per paper
- Rajasthan teen arrested for selling fake AI-generated papers
Proton VPN’s Massive Sign-Up Surge
Registration Numbers:
“Proton reported that daily registrations from India surged to 120% above normal levels on Wednesday, following a 150% spike in hourly registrations on Tuesday evening after the announcement of the Telegram ban”.
Company’s Response:
- Proton characterized the growth as “extremely noteworthy” given its existing market presence in India
- 150% increase in signups above normal levels confirmed by David Peterson, General Manager at Proton VPN
- “Rapid influx of new users trying to circumvent the sudden censorship”
David Peterson’s Post That Got Blocked
What He Posted (June 18, 2026):
“Daily registrations from India jumped +120% on Wednesday (after a +150% spike in hourly registrations on Tuesday evening) as MeitY blocked Telegram for 150M Indian users over leaked exam questions.”
Why It Was Withheld:
- Legal demand from Indian government
- X withheld account in response to legal demand
- Post now shows “withheld in India” message
Other VPN Apps Surging in India
VPN Growth:
“India’s temporary Telegram ban over NEET exam fraud concerns has led to a sharp surge in VPN downloads”.
Alternative Messaging Apps:
Users are also shifting to other messaging platforms:
“Users are also shifting to alternative messaging apps like Signal, Viber and iMe”.
App Store Rankings Surge
VPN Apps Racing Up Charts:
“The shift suggests users are actively seeking workarounds ahead of the NEET re-examination”.
Telegram’s Response to the Ban
Telegram’s Stance:
- India should block specific content, not entire platform
- Platform used by millions of people
- Criticism of blanket ban from Telegram’s chief
“Telegram argues India should block specific content, not an entire platform used by millions”.
Why This Event Drew Attention
Key Issues Raised:
- Rising VPN use in India
- Exam-related restrictions controversy
- Criticism of blanket ban from Telegram’s chief
- Government blocking VPN GM’s account for reporting statistics
“The episode drew attention to rising VPN use, exam-related restrictions and criticism of the ban from Telegram’s chief”.
The Bottom Line
India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) blocked temporary access to Telegram for 150 million Indian users on June 17, 2026 over NEET-UG exam fraud involving leaked questions, with the restriction lasting until June 22, 2026. This triggered a massive surge in VPN sign-ups, with Proton VPN reporting +150% hourly spike on Tuesday evening and +120% daily surge on Wednesday. Proton GM David Peterson posted on X about these statistics on June 18, 2026, but his account was withheld in India in response to a legal demand, with the post now showing “This post from @davidgpeterson has been withheld in India”. The surge characterized as “extremely noteworthy” by Proton, with Turbo VPN also seeing significant growth and users shifting to Signal, Viber, and iMe. Telegram criticized the blanket ban, arguing India should block specific content rather than entire platform used by millions. VPN apps are racing up India’s app store charts as users seek workarounds ahead of the controversial NEET re-examination.
Quick Summary
MeitY blocked Telegram for 150M Indian users June 17, 2026 (until June 22) over NEET exam fraud (fake AI papers sold Rs 4,000 each). Proton VPN sign-ups surged +150% hourly Tuesday evening, +120% daily Wednesday. Proton GM David Peterson posted on X June 18 about surge, but account withheld in India in response to legal demand. Post shows “withheld in India” message. Turbo VPN also significant growth, users shifting to Signal, Viber, iMe. Telegram criticizes blanket ban, wants content-specific blocking. VPN apps racing up app charts, users seeking workarounds for NEET re-exam. Growth “extremely noteworthy” for Proton in India.