New
Delhi:
The Pegasus snooping allegations are based on conjectures and “unsubstantiated
media reports” and will be examined by a group of experts to dispel any wrong
narrative, the government told the Supreme Court today.
In
a two-page affidavit filed by the Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics
and Information Technology, the Centre denied allegations linked to recent
reports that Israeli Pegasus spyware - sold only to governments - was used to
target opposition leaders, journalists and others.
The
document said the government “unequivocally denies” allegations and they are “based
on conjectures and surmises or on other unsubstantiated media reports or
incomplete or uncorroborated material”.
The
petitioners “have not made out any case”, the government told the court. But “to
dispel any wrong narrative spread by certain vested interests and with an
object of examining the issues raised”, the government will constitute a
committee of experts in the field to go into all aspects of the issue, the
affidavit said, citing the statement in parliament by Union Minister Ashwini
Vaishnaw.
The
Pegasus allegations dominated an acrimonious standoff between the government
and the opposition that led to multiple disruptions and chaos in the monsoon
session of parliament.
A
media consortium, including The Wire, has disclosed that 300 phones from India
were revealed to be on the list of potential targets on the leaked database of
NSO, which supplies the Pegasus spyware. It is not established, however, that
all the phones were hacked.
According
to The Wire, phones of opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Supreme Court
judges, ministers, and journalists were among potential targets.
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