Supreme Court to Hear Pegasus Spyware Probe Pleas

The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for next week to address pleas seeking a probe into the unauthorized use of Pegasus spyware for the surveillance of journalists, politicians, and activists. A technical panel found malware in some devices, but cooperation from the government in the investigation was lacking.

The Supreme Court is set to hear pleas next week regarding the alleged unauthorized use of Pegasus spyware for surveillance. The decision comes after a senior advocate highlighted the absence of crucial technical reports. Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh have scheduled the hearing for April 29 due to time constraints.

Back in August last year, the top court noted that a technical panel discovered malware in a few of the examined devices, yet it stopped short of concluding Pegasus was the culprit. These findings were part of a report submitted under the supervision of former Justice R V Raveendran, where the government was criticized for not cooperating with the investigation.

In 2021, an international report revealed over 300 Indian phone numbers were targets of potential Pegasus surveillance, prompting the Supreme Court to appoint both technical and supervisory panels to explore the extent of the issue. Recommendations from these inquiries pointed towards necessary amendments to protect privacy rights and bolster cybersecurity.

(With inputs from agencies.)