Pegasus row
Pegasus row: SC-appointed committee submits interim report, seeks more time for probe
New Delhi/IBNS: The Supreme Court-appointed committee formed to probe into the Pegasus spyware scandal, in which politicians, journalists, judges and government officials were alleged to have been snooped, has sought more time to complete its investigation, media reports said.
The interim report has been submitted to the Supreme Court by the committee.
The top court is likely to consider the report of the panel, headed by Justice (Retd) Raveendran, on Feb 23, NDTV reported citing sources.
The Supreme Court in October last year formed a three-member committee to probe into the snooping allegations that were levelled against the Narendra Modi government earlier this year, media reports said.
Besides Raveendran, other members of the committee are Alok Joshi and Sandeep Oberoi.
Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana had directed the committee to probe into the issue and place the report before the court.
Names of high profile political personalities like Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, former poll strategist Prashant Kishor, new IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister Prahlad Patel and Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee among others have featured in the potential target list of the Israeli spyware, The Wire has reported in an explosive revelation.
Besides key politicians, over 40 Indian journalists and a constitutional authority were also found on the database of NSO as connected to people of interest since 2016, The Wire has reported.
Though the particular spyware is sold only to a vetted government, Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw countered media reports on the Pegasus issue and said 'illegal surveillance' is not possible in India.
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