NewsGate Press Network

The Central Government informed the Supreme Court earlier today on Monday, 16 August 2021, that Pegasus snooping allegations are based on conjectures and “unsubstantiated media reports” and will be soon be examined by a group of experts to dispel any wrong narrative.

Stating this in a two-page affidavit submitted by the Additional Secretary in the  Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the Central Government denied allegations linking  reports that Israeli designed Pegasus spyware (sold only to governments)  was extensively used to monitor radio and data traffic allegedly emanating from phone handles belonging to opposition leaders, journalists and others.

The two page affidavit said the government “unequivocally denies” allegations and they are “based on conjectures and surmises or on other unsubstantiated media reports or incomplete or uncorroborated material”.

The petitioners “have not made out any case”, the government told the Supreme Court.

But “to dispel any wrong narrative spread by certain vested interests and with an object of examining the issues raised”, the government will constitute a committee of experts in the field to go into all aspects of the issue, the affidavit said, citing the statement in Parliament by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav.