The ECI also wants the judges to seek details from the government on the spyware contract and a list of those targetted.
The Editors’ Guild of India (ECI), seeking an investigation into the Pegasus spyware scandal, has moved the Apex Court. The top journalists body has demanded the court to form a Special Investigation Team to probe the issue. The ECI also wants the judges to seek details from the government on the spyware contract and a list of those targetted. The Supreme Court will hear the matter on Thursday.
In its Public Interest Litigation, the Editors Guild has sought a direction from the Supreme Court to the Central government “to produce the orders issued authorising the interception, monitoring and decryption of electronic communication devices of Indian citizens under the relevant law and rules, with the reasons in writing for issuance of the same”.
The plea further seeks direction to the government to release information with regard to the interception and decryption of information using spyware like Pegasus, hacking and electronic surveillance in the country between 2017 and 2021.
The ECI, in it’s PIL, specifically asks the Centre to clarify whether the government or any of its agencies procure and use the Pegasus spyware, developed by Israeli firm NSO Group, on Indian citizens.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a petition seeking a probe by a sitting or a retired judge into the Pegasus spyware controversy. A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana took note of the submissions of senior lawyer Kapil Sibal that the petition has been filed and needed to be heard in view of the large consequences of the alleged snooping.
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