E-Paper
Pegasus case: CPI(M) MP moves SC for SIT probe
It has referred to statements by Union minister for electronics and information technology Ashwini Vaishnav in Parliament, complaining that the government has neither denied nor admitted buying and using the spyware.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) member in the Rajya Sabha John Brittas has moved the Supreme Court demanding a court-monitored probe by a special investigation team (SIT) into the reports of snooping of activists, journalists and politicians using the Israeli spyware Pegasus.
“If the Pegasus spyware was used in an unauthorised manner that is in violation of fundamental rights under Articles 19(1)(a) and 21 and also as a slap on the face of the right to privacy upheld by this Hon’ble Court in Puttaswamy (right to privacy) case. There is also violation of the provisions of IT Act& Indian Telegraph Act for which strict penal action needs to be done after an immediate, independent and transparent,” stated the petition.
It has referred to statements by Union minister for electronics and information technology Ashwini Vaishnav in Parliament, complaining that the government has neither denied nor admitted buying and using the spyware.
“It is only an evasive statement from the government. The government has unequivocally accepted the statement of the company, NSO, which owns the alleged spyware technology and blindly accepted their version without any investigation,” said the petition.
It further made references to news reports that indicated the possibility of a Supreme Court judge also being a potential snoop target.
“As the interceptions are said to be done in the gadgets of judges and supreme court staffer there is a strong interference with the administration of justice. This is unprecedented and shocking (for) the conscience of the judicial system,” added the petition.
The petition is yet to be admitted by the top court and it has not been listed for a hearing so far.
