The administration informed the Supreme Court today that the Pegasus snooping accusations are based on speculation and “unsubstantiated media stories,” A panel of specialists would investigate them to debunk any false narratives. The Centre rejected charges connected to recent revelations that Israeli Pegasus spyware – supplied solely to governments – was used to target opposition leaders, journalists, and others in a two-page declaration filed by the Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
According to the paper, the government “unambiguously denies” the claims, which are “based on conjectures and surmises or other unfounded media reports or incomplete or uncorroborated data,” according to the paper. The government informed the court that the petitioners “had not laid out any case.” The government, however, will form a committee of experts in the field to look into all aspects of the issue “to dispel any wrong narrative spread by certain vested interests and with an object of examining the issues raised,” according to the affidavit, citing Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw‘s statement in parliament.
Read also: To dispel wrong narrative, will form expert panel: Centre in SC on Pegasus row
The Pegasus allegations dominated a heated confrontation between the government and the opposition in parliament’s monsoon session, which resulted in repeated interruptions and turmoil. At the same time, the affidavit stated that the government would appoint an expert committee to look into all issues arising from the Pegasus controversy, which erupted on July 18 when phones of many Indian ministers that Pegasus, an Israeli company, could have targeted.
The highest court stated the charges were severe if the reports are accurate and asked the petitioners three questions in the case’s first hearing on August 5. The first was why they went to court over two years after the initial revelations on the deployment of Pegasus spyware were released in May of this year. This is a reference to WhatsApp reporting that NSO’s software had been used to deliver malware to over 1,400 phones at the time.
The second inquiry concerned whether any petitioners had filed a first information report or a criminal complaint in response to suspected illegal phone eavesdropping. The third concern was if there was any empirical data to back up the allegations of violations.
Read also: Have some faith in system, why parallel debate on social media: SC on Pegasus row
On August 10, the Centre’s solicitor general, Tushar Mehta, was given time to seek government directions on the case. During this hearing, the court took issue with petitioners’ outside-the-courts “parallel discussion” on the alleged surveillance of Indian people by Israeli Pegasus spyware, noting that if they use the legal system, they must trust it. While adjudicating the case, the court ordered petitioners to desist from discussing the subject on public venues.
