Pegasus row: Supreme Court grants more time to probe panel to submit report
India | May 20, 2022 12:38 ISTPegasus row: The Supreme court had in October last year ordered a probe into the alleged use of Israeli spyware by the government.
Pegasus row: The Supreme court had in October last year ordered a probe into the alleged use of Israeli spyware by the government.
According to sources familiar with the development, the panel has submitted an interim report in the apex court.
Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu said that he will take a final call on admitting or rejecting privilege motions moved against IT Ashwini Vaishnaw after seeking clarification from him.
The Apex court observed that freedom of the press is an “important pillar” of democracy and said the court's task in the Pegasus matter assumes great significance.
The Centre on Monday told the Supreme Court it doesn't wish to file detailed affidavit on pleas seeking independent probe into Pegasus issue.
The court is hearing as many as 12 pleas, including the one filed by the Editors Guild of India, seeking an independent probe into the Pegasus matter.
An international media consortium has reported that over 300 verified Indian mobile phone numbers were on the list of potential targets for surveillance using Pegasus spyware.
The government said its position on the alleged Pegasus snooping has already been clarified in Parliament by IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Pegasus snooping controversy: The government has said that no transaction was done with the NSO Group, which sells the spyware.
In the midst of the Pegasus snooping controversy, the defence ministry said it did not have any transaction with the NSO Group, which sells the spyware.
The Supreme Court on Thursday noted that the allegations of snooping are "serious" if the reports regarding it are correct.
Ravi Shankar Prasad said that India has lost 130 crore from its exchequer due to opposition's disruptions in the Parliament.
An international media consortium has reported that over 300 verified Indian mobile phone numbers were on the list of potential targets for surveillance using Pegasus spyware.
The statement comes after a stalemate in Monsson Session of Parliament with both the Houses paralysed by the opposition's uproar over their demand for a discussion on the Pegasus snooping issue and farmers' protests.
The opposition has been demanding a discussion in Parliament on the Pegasus row and its leaders have been giving adjournment notices every day.
The opposition has been demanding a discussion in Parliament on the Pegasus row and its leaders have been giving adjournment notices every day.
Attacking the government, Chidambaram said another case of misuse of Pegasus spyware has been revealed now with France's national cybersecurity agency confirming that Pegasus spyware was infiltrated into phones belonging to two journalists of Mediapart, an investigative journal in France.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said the controversy over Pegasus was a "non-issue" and that the government was ready for discussions on people-related issues.
The Pegasus issue affects the freedom of citizens, the lawyer, appearing for N Ram and Shashi Kumar said, and added that opposition leaders, journalists and even court staff have been put under surveillance.
Rahul Gandhi has asked the government not to waste more time of Parliament and let the opposition raise issues of inflation, farmers and Pegasus in the House.
Top News
Latest News
