Will constitute Committee of Experts to examine Pegasus allegations, Centre tells SC
Aug 16, 2021
New Delhi [India], August 16 : The Central Government on Monday filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court and apprised it that it has decided to constitute a Committee of Experts which will examine all the issues relating to the alleged Pegasus snooping issue.
The Centre also denied all the allegations of snooping on journalists, politicians, activists, and court staff and maintained the petitions are based on conjectures and there is no substance in the accusations.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said, "It is 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 into all aspects of the issue."
In its two-page affidavit on the Pegasus issue, the Additional Secretary of the Ministry stated, "I unequivocally deny any and all of the allegations made against the government in the captioned petition and other connected petitions. A bare perusal of the captioned petition and other connected petitions makes it clear that the same is based on conjectures and surmises or on other unsubstantiated media reports or incomplete or uncorroborated material. It is submitted that the same cannot be the basis for invoking the writ jurisdiction of this Court."
It further said that the Minister of Railways, Communications and Electronics and Information Technology of India has already clarified the government's stand in the Parliament.
The affidavit was filed on a batch of petitions seeking a court-monitored probe into the reports of the government allegedly using Israeli software Pegasus to spy on politicians, activists, and journalists.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana to hear the case today.
