Expert panel to probe Pegasus, govt tells SC

The Union government on Monday refrained from confirming or denying in the Supreme Court whether it has used the Israeli Pegasus spyware for alleged surveillance of Indian citizens or not, even as it offered setting up an expert committee to look into all aspects of the controversy and “dispel any wrong narrative spread by certain vested interests”.

In a three-page affidavit filed nearly an hour before the top court was to consider a clutch of petitions for a court-monitored independent investigation into the alleged snooping, the Centre contended that the petitions “are based on conjectures and surmises or on other unsubstantiated media reports or incomplete or uncorroborated material” and hence, failed to make out any case to invoke writ jurisdiction.

“It is, however, submitted that with a view to dispel any wrong narrative spread by certain vested interests and with an object of examining the issues raised, the Union of India will constitute a committee of experts in the field which will go in to all aspects of the issue,” stated the affidavit, filed by the ministry of electronics and information technology (Meity).

While the affidavit said that the government “unequivocally deny any and all of the allegations”, it did not answer whether the Centre or any agency authorised by it has used Pegasus for surveillance and was in possession of any information obtained using the spyware.

A bench, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana, asked solicitor general Tushar Mehta repeatedly during the proceedings whether the government will come clear on purchase or use of Pegasus. The S-G, however, maintained that a committee of experts should rather be allowed to delve into the issue, adding “whatever interception was done, it was done in the interest of national security.”

According to the law officer,