Pegasus spyware case: SC appointed expert committee seeks more time, SC asks for report by June 20

Pegasus spyware case: The Supreme Court on May 20, 2022 allowed the expert committee probing Pegasus case four more weeks to submit its report on the row. The court has asked the panel to submit its report by June 20. This came after the technical committee headed by former SC judge RV Raveendran asked the court for more time. The apex court said that the supervising judge would study the technical committee's report and give his opinion to the court by June end.

Pegasus row | Supreme Court-appointed technical committee seeks more time from the top court to submit the report on the Pegasus probe

Court says the supervising judge would study the technical committee's report and give his opinion to the court by June end.

— ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2022

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India N V Ramana said that the process by the technical committee would be over by May end and after that a supervising judge will go over the report and submit the final copy to the court for the perusal of the bench by June 20, 2022. The court said, "standard operating procedure for testing the 'infected devices' will be finalised too."

The technical committee had informed the top court that it has examined 29 mobile phones for the Pegasus spyware and also recorded statements of some petitioners, activists and journalists.

SC orders formation of Expert Panel to probe Pegasus Spyware Case

The Supreme Court had ordered the constitution of a three-member expert committee to probe targeted surveillance of journalists, politicians using Pegasus spyware on October 27, 2021. The apex court said that there has been no specific denial by Centre in the issue, thus it has no option but to accept the submissions of petitioner prima facie and appoint the independent expert committee.

The court has asked the expert committee to examine the allegations thoroughly and place the report before the court.

The Committee has been formed to probe the falsity and discover truth in Pegasus row, says Supreme Court.

Supreme Court says Right to Privacy violation needs to be examined.

There is serious concern of foreign agency involvement by surveilling Indians, Supreme Court says.

— ANI (@ANI) October 27, 2021

Expert committee composition

The three-member expert committee is headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice RV Raveendran and the other two members include 1976 batch IPS officer Alok Joshi and Dr. Sundeep Oberoi.

The apex court stated that it has chosen renowned experts to be a part of the three-member Committee.

The three-member committee will be headed by RV Raveendran, former Supreme Court Judge. Other members will be Alok Joshi and Sandeep Oberoi.

— ANI (@ANI) October 27, 2021

The three members Technical Committee include the Dean of National Forensic Sciences University in Gandhinagar, Dr. Naveen Kumar Chaudhary; Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham Professor Dr. Prabaharan P. and Institute Chair Associate Professor of IIT Bombay Dr. Ashwin Anil Gumaste.

SC judgement on Pegasus spyware case: Key Highlights

The CJI began pronouncing order into the Pegasus spyware case, by reading George Orwell's quote-"If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself."

The court noted that some of the petitioners are direct victims of Pegasus and it is incumbent upon the Centre to seriously consider the use of such a technology.

Supreme Court says that some of the petitioners are direct victims of Pegasus; it is incumbent upon the Centre to seriously consider the use of such a technology.

— ANI (@ANI) October 27, 2021

The apex court highlighted that we live in the era of information and must recognise that while technology is important, it is important to safeguard right to privacy, not only for journalists but for all citizens.

The court further stated that when initially petitions were filed the court was not satisfied with the petitions that were filed based on newspaper reports, however, other petitions were also filed by those who were direct victims of the snooping. 

Supreme Court says that initially when petitions were filed court was not satisfied with the petitions filed based on newspaper reports, however, various other petitions were filed by the ones who were direct victims.

— ANI (@ANI) October 27, 2021

Further, the court observed in the judgement that indiscriminate spying of citizens can't be allowed in a democracy except in accordance with the law.

The court highlighted during the judgement how the Union of India did not provide clarity and had it made its stand clear it would have been a different situation. 

The court had earlier issued a notice to the Union of India taking note of the seriousness of the issue. The court said that it gave the centre enough time to disclose all information regarding the Pegasus spyware.

It said that it had assured the centre that it would not push it to provide any information that would affect the national security concerns of the country. 

However, the centre had placed on record only a limited affidavit that does not give clarity on their stand or on the facts of the matter.