Pavel Durov, the founder of the messaging app Telegram, has returned to Dubai after receiving permission from French authorities amid an ongoing investigation concerning illegal content on the platform. Durov expressed his relief, stating it was “great to be home” following his temporary return from France, where he had been under investigation.

Last year, Durov was arrested in France and detained for several days due to charges related to illegal content being posted by users on Telegram. Although he was eventually released, he was not permitted to leave France until recently. His return to the United Arab Emirates took place over the weekend, after the investigating magistrates lifted some of the restrictions that had been imposed on him.

In a post on Telegram, Durov confirmed his return, mentioning that he had spent “several months in France due to an investigation related to the activity of criminals on Telegram.” He acknowledged the ongoing nature of the investigation but expressed gratitude to the investigative judges for allowing his departure. Durov highlighted that Telegram has consistently met and exceeded its legal obligations over the years.

The Paris prosecutor’s office stated that Durov was permitted to leave France from March 15 to April 7, as the judicial control measures against him were temporarily lifted. Previously, he had been required to report to police twice a week, was banned from leaving the country, and had to post bail of five million euros.

Durov’s arrest marked a significant moment as it was the first time a social media company founder faced legal action over content on their platform. Telegram boasts more than 900 million active users, making it one of the most popular messaging apps globally. After extensive questioning during his detention, Durov was charged with multiple counts of failing to control “extremist” and “terrorist” content effectively.

During his questioning, Durov initially attributed the failures to respond to criminal activity on Telegram to the French authorities. However, he later acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations while in custody.