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Shortly after he was released from police custody in France, Telegram founder and chief Pavel Durov was headed to court in Paris Wednesday where he could be formally charged read more
 "Telegram founder Durov released from police custody, to appear in Paris court")
Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov. Reuters
Shortly after he was released from police custody in France, Telegram founder and chief Pavel Durov was headed to court in Paris Wednesday where he could be formally charged.
The Russian-born 39-year-old was arrested at the French capital’s Le Bourget airport late Saturday on suspicion of failing to act against illicit content on 900-million-user social network Telegram, allegations the company itself has denied.
According to a CNN report, Durov exited the anti-fraud office outside Paris in what appeared to be a police vehicle on Wednesday afternoon.
The Paris prosecutor’s office said he would now face “initial questioning and possible indictment” at a court in the French capital, added the report.
Durov is under fire for his app, known for its minimal content moderation, being used by terrorist groups and far-right extremists.
He was detained for up to 96 hours, the maximum duration permitted under French law before formal charges are filed.
Durov’s arrest has sparked a debate over free speech and raised concerns in both Ukraine and Russia, where the app is highly popular and serves as a crucial communication tool for military personnel and civilians amid Moscow’s conflict with Ukraine.
On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron said the decision to pursue charges against Durov was “in no way political,” marking a rare direct intervention by a French leader in a judicial issue.
Launched in 2013 by Durov and his brother Nikolai, Telegram now boasts over 950 million users, according to a recent post by Durov, making it one of the most widely used messaging platforms globally.
With inputs from agencies
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