Pegasus row reaches Supreme Court; PIL seeks SC-monitored probe into alleged snooping

Amid the uproar over the Pegasus Snoopgate, advocate Manohar Lal Sharma on Thursday, filed a plea in the Supreme Court seeking an SIT probe into the allegations of snooping on Indian citizens using Israeli spyware Pegasus. Naming PM Modi and his council of ministers as respondents, Sharma sought an SC-monitored SIT probe into all accused including ministers. Ruckus erupted in Parliament on Monday as Centre categorically denied snooping on 300 citizens using Israeli spyware- Pegasus. The I-T panel will hold a meeting on the alleged snooping on July 28.

Plea in SC seeking SIT probe into Pegasus snooping

The plea also requested the SC to declare buying of  Pegasus software for snooping is illegal and unconstitutional, urging the Union Council of Ministers to return the amount issued from public treasury with interest, without the permission of the parliament. Invoking the Information Technology Act, 2000 and Official Secret Act,1923, Sharma claimed that the CBI has not filed an FIR of his complaint on the Pegasus snooping case. He also argued that the Centre has been unable to answer whether the government or its agencies purchased Pegasus and if yes, what were the terms of its use.

Govt & NSO rubbish using Pegasus to spy on citizens

On Sunday night, Centre issued a rebuttal rubbishing the report that the Indian government allegedly spied on over 300 citizens, including 40 journalists via Israeli spyware Pegasus. Asserting that India was committed to free speech, Centre claimed that the questionnaire sent to it was 'founded on pre-conceived notions' and that Centre's RTI response to the use of Pegasus was itself sufficient.  Calling the report a fishing expedition, the Centre reminded that similar allegations were made regarding the use of Pegasus on Whatsapp which were categorically denied by all parties including Whatsapp in the Supreme Court. Similarly, 'Pegasus' owner NSO Group highlighted - 'the purpose of the list could not be conclusively determined' and the list does not 'identify who puts the numbers on it or why', refuting all allegations.

What is the Pegasus row?

A report by sixteen media houses claimed that 300 verified Indian mobile telephone numbers were allegedly spied upon using Israeli surveillance technology firm Pegasus - which only has 36 vetted governments as its clients. As per a 'leaked' database, numbers of those allegedly spied upon include over 40 journalists, three major opposition figures, one constitutional authority, two serving cabinet ministers, current and former heads, and officials of security organizations and businessmen. The target also includes the eight activists currently accused of the Bhima Koregaon case. The report claimed that the leaked numbers mainly belong to ten countries - India, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.