The case of alleged spying of opposition leaders and journalists in India through Pegasus software has now reached the Supreme Court. Advocate Manohar Lal Sharma has filed a petition in the Supreme Court. In this petition, a SIT investigation has been demanded under the supervision of the Supreme Court. Along with this, there has also been a demand to ban the purchase of Pegasus in India.
Many opposition leaders of the country are busy surrounding the Modi government regarding the Pegasus espionage case. The Congress party is demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe. However, the government has also rejected this espionage case in Parliament.
An international media organization has revealed that more than 300 mobile numbers of two Indian ministers, more than 40 journalists, three opposition leaders, including a large number of businessmen and human rights activists were hacked through the Israeli spy software Pegasus.
Significantly, an international media organization has claimed that a large number of businessmen, including two Union ministers of India, more than 40 journalists, three opposition leaders and a judge, through Israel’s intelligence software sold only to government agencies. More than 300 mobile numbers of rights activists may have been hacked.
This report came out on Sunday. However, the government has denied the allegations related to surveillance of special people from its level. The government said, “There is no solid basis or truth related to this.”
The report was published by India’s news portal ‘The Wire’ as well as 16 other international publications including The Washington Post, The Guardian and Le Monde for an investigation conducted by Paris-based media non-profit organization Forbidden Stories and rights group Amnesty International. Posted as Partner.
The investigation is based on a leaked list of more than 50,000 phone numbers from around the world that are believed to have been hacked through Pegasus software from Israeli surveillance company NSO Group. The government, however, dismissed the media reports saying, “India is a resilient democracy and is committed to ensuring the right to privacy of all its citizens as a fundamental right.” At the same time, the government dismissed media reports of attempts to “play the role of investigator, prosecutor and jury”.
