News Analysis India

Tag: Snooping row

  • SC to pronounce order on Wednesday on pleas seeking independent probe into Pegasus snooping matter

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court is scheduled to pronounce on Wednesday its verdict on a batch of pleas seeking independent probe into the Pegasus snooping matter.

    A bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli had reserved order on September 13, saying it only wanted to know whether or not the Centre used the Pegasus spyware through illegal methods to allegedly snoop on citizens.

    Citing national security, the Centre had refused to file a detailed affidavit in the matter.

    The pleas are related to reports of alleged snooping by government agencies on eminent citizens, politicians and scribes by using Israeli firm NSO’s spyware Pegasus.

  • SC to set up technical experts’ panel on Pegasus

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday said it is planning to set up a committee of experts to look into allegations of unauthorised surveillance using Pegasus software, adding a formal order will be issued by next week.

    The information assumes significance since the Centre had earlier offered to set up a panel on its own to look into allegations of snooping on civil society. Chief Justice N V Ramana said the matter was taking time because some experts it wanted to induct had declined citing personal difficulties. “We will be able to finalise the members of by next week and pronounce our orders.”

    ALSO READ | Congress welcomes setting up of technical expert committee on Pegasus, but seeks SC-monitored probe

    The remarks came when he was hearing some other case in which senior advocate C U Singh, one of the petitioner’s lawyers in the Pegasus case, was appearing. The top court had on September 13 reserved its order, saying it only wanted to know whether or not the Centre illegally used Pegasus to snoop on journalists, activists and politicians. The Centre had stoutly refused to file an detailed affidavit citing national security.

    The Congress appreciated the SC’s initiative to set up a probe panel, saying it is a step in the right direction. “The Pegasus spy scandal is… an assault on national security and privacy… The solution is simple — A SC-monitored full investigation. SC observation of setting up a technical committee is a right step in this direction,” Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted.

  • Centre again cites security to duck full affidavit, SC order on Pegasus soon

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: With the Centre again refusing to file a detailed affidavit on whether or not it used the Pegasus software to snoop on journalists and members of the civil society, the Supreme Court on Monday said it will pass its interim order on a batch of petitions in a two-three days.

    Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the Centre did not want matters of national interest to be part of public discourse or judicial debate through an affidavit. “Existence of whether a particular software was used or not cannot become part of an affidavit or subject of public discourse. Target groups, terror groups should not know what software is being used,” Mehta told the bench led by Chief Justice of India N V Ramana. 

    “We will set up a committee of domain experts. The petitioners who say their numbers were put under interception can be considered by the committee. The committee report will be placed before your lordships,” Mehta added.

    But the bench said Mehta was beating around the bush. “We just wanted you to clarify whether their (civil society) privacy was violated or not. Whether surveillance, if done at all, was after lawful permission. Was the interception done by any agency unlawfully? Should the government not be concerned if any ‘outside agency’ had violated our citizens’ privacy?” it asked. Mehta responded saying that he had have already filed an affidavit saying there was no unauthorised interception.

    Pointing out that it had given fair opportunity to the Centre to make its statement, the CJI said, “Now we have to look into the whole issue and decide something.” The court then reserved its interim orders. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for journalists N Ram and Sashi Kumar, who are among the petitioners, said the government cannot tell the SC to ‘shut your eyes’.

    Sibal’s counter“My friend (Mehta) says making that statement on oath itself is detrimental to national security. I am sorry, it is detrimental to the process of justice,” Kapil Sibal said

  • Enemies will change, modulate software if information is disclosed: Centre to SC in Pegasus matter

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Divulging information whether the country uses spyware like Pegasus or not would involve national security aspect as enemies of the nation or those indulging in terror activities would change or modulate their software, the Centre told the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

    Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, told a bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana that those involved in terror activities may take pre-emptive steps if the government divulges details of which software is used for various purposes including interception.

    “Suppose, I am heading a terrorist organisation. I am using several apparatus for the purpose of communicating with my sleeper cells etc. The moment any government of any country says that no, we are not using a particular software, I will change my software or I will modulate my software to such an extent that at least they are not compatible with what the government is using,” Mehta told the bench, which also comprised Justices Surya Kant and Aniruddha Bose.

    The apex court, which made clear that it did not want the government to disclose anything which compromises national security, issued notice to the Centre on a batch of pleas seeking independent probe into the alleged Pegasus snooping matter and posted the matter for hearing after 10 days.

    During the arguments, Mehta said this can’t be a subject matter of affidavit and public debate and the government has said in its limited affidavit that it will constitute a committee of experts to examine all the aspects of Pegasus issue.

    “The moment I say Pegasus is not being used, all the apparatus which the enemies of the country are using can be reset in a module that it is not compatible. These are the issues which we will place before the technical committee and if the technical committee records everything and comes before your lordships, there is nothing wrong,” Mehta said.

    “Those who are in terrorist activities they may take pre-emptive or corrective steps,” he added.

    The bench said it does not want to know what mechanism the defence ministry or other ministries have evolved or set up for the defence of the nation and it is not asking the Centre to disclose any such thing.

    Mehta argued that senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for veteran journalists N Ram and Sashi Kumar who have filed a petition in the matter, had rightly said on Monday that there is a statutory mechanism and rules which allow interception and this is necessary to combat terrorism.

    “Kindly visualise, tomorrow a narrative is built by some web portals that military equipment is used for some illegitimate purpose. Somebody, who has nothing to do with this, can file a petition. If I will advise the government that you file an affidavit on use of military equipment, then I will be failing in my duty,” he said.

    Mehta said the petitioners are seeking inquiry in the matter and the government has said that it will constitute a committee of experts.

    He said the committee will consist of neutral experts and not government officials and the panel will file its report before the apex court.

    “I don’t think there can be anything fair than this,” Mehta said.

    The bench said it in not compelling the government to divulge anything which they do not want to.

    “Tentatively, what we are thinking is without any further debate on the issue, we will issue notice before admission,” the bench said and issued notice to the Centre.

    The court is hearing a batch of pleas, including the one filed by Editors Guild of India, seeking independent probe into the matter.

    They are related to reports of alleged snooping by government agencies on eminent citizens, politicians and scribes by using Israeli firm NSO’s spyware Pegasus.

    An international media consortium has reported that over 300 verified Indian mobile phone numbers were on the list of potential targets for surveillance using Pegasus spyware.

    The Centre had Monday filed a limited affidavit in the apex court and said that pleas seeking an independent probe into the Pegasus snooping allegations are based on “conjectures and surmises or on other unsubstantiated media reports or incomplete or uncorroborated material”.

    It had said that position on the issue has already been clarified in Parliament by IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

    With a view to dispelling any wrong narrative spread by certain vested interests and examining the issues raised, the government will constitute a committee of experts, it had said.

  • Only PM can answer on behalf of all ministries, why is he silent: P Chidambaram on Pegasus row 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: A day after the defence ministry stated that it did not have any transaction with the NSO Group, which is at the centre of the Pegasus row, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Tuesday said only Prime Minister Narendra Modi can answer on behalf of all ministries and departments over the issue and asked “why is he silent”.

    NSO Group, an Israeli surveillance software company, has been under increasing attack following allegations that its Pegasus software was used for surveillance of phones of people in several countries, including India.

    Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt, while replying to a question in Rajya Sabha on Monday, said, “Ministry of Defence has not had any transaction with NSO Group Technologies.”

    Reacting to the development, Chidambaram tweeted, “MoD has ‘absolved’ itself of any deal with the NSO Group, Israel. Assuming, MoD is correct, that takes out one Ministry/Department. What about the remaining half a dozen usual suspects?” “Only the PM can answer on behalf of ALL ministries/departments. Why is he silent?” the former home minister said.

    An international media consortium has reported that over 300 verified Indian mobile phone numbers, including that of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, union ministers Prahlad Singh Patel and Ashwini Vaishnaw, businessman Anil Ambani, and at least 40 journalists, were on the list of potential targets for surveillance using Israeli firm NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware.

    The government has been denying all Opposition allegations in the matter.

  • Rajya Sabha adjourned till 12 noon amid opposition uproar over Pegasus row 

    By PTI

    NEW DELI: Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 12 noon as opposition members entered the Well of the House insisting on a debate on the issue of Israeli-made military-grade Pegasus spyware allegedly being used to snoop on opposition leaders, government critics and journalists.

    Soon after the listed papers and reports were laid on the table of the House, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said he had not admitted the notices given by the MPs for suspending the listed business to discuss the Pegasus issue.

    Naidu said the discussion on the farmers’ issue will take place.

    The opposition members, however, insisted that the Pegasus matter be taken up for discussion and trooped into the Well.

    Naidu repeatedly stressed on discussing the farmers’ issue, but opposition members did not agree.

    The chairman adjourned the proceedings till 12 noon.

  • Snooping row: Defence ministry didn’t buy Pegasus. So, who did?

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: In its first response to the Pegasus snoopgate controversy, the Ministry of Defence on Monday said it did not have any transaction with Israel-based NSO Group, which owns the spyware.

    The clarification came from Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt in response to a question by CPI’s Rajya Sabha member V Sivadasan.

    “Ministry of Defence has not had transaction with NSO Group technologies,” he said in a brief written statement.

    Sivadasan had bundled the question along with others on expenditure incurred by the defence ministry. When the controversy first broke,

    Union IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had in Parliament dismissed media reports on the use of the software to snoop on Indians, saying the allegations were aimed at maligning Indian democracy. 

    With the defence ministry washing its hands of the military grade cyber weapon, the question is who procured it, since over 1,000 Indian mobile numbers were on the list of possible targets.

    Also, a few of the instruments were found infected by Pegasus.

    NSO Group, an Israeli surveillance software company, has been under increasing attack following allegations that its Pegasus phone spyware was used for surveillance on journalists, activists and political leaders in several countries including India.

    NSO has denied any wrongdoing.

    The opposition parties have been targeting the central government over the snooping row and disrupting proceedings in Parliament since it met on July 19 for the Monsoon session.

    The opposition parties have been demanding a discussion on the Pegasus issue in parliament, claiming it has national security implications.

    IT and Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had dismissed media reports on the use of Pegasus software to snoop on Indians, saying the allegations levelled just ahead of the Monsoon session of Parliament were aimed at maligning Indian democracy.

    In a suo motu statement in Lok Sabha, Vaishnaw had said that with several checks and balances being in place, “any sort of illegal surveillance” by unauthorised persons is not possible in India.

    The controversy erupted after an investigation by a global media consortium based on leaked targeting data claimed evidence that the military-grade malware from the NSO Group was being used to spy on politicians, journalists, human rights activists and others.

    In his reply, Bhatt also said that an allocation of Rs 4,04,364 crore was made to the defence ministry in the budget estimate (BE) stage in 2018-19 and the expenditure made during that fiscal by the ministry was Rs 4,03,459 crore.

    The minister said that an outlay of Rs 4,31,010 crore was made at the BE stage in 2019-20 while expenditure against the allocation was Rs 4,51,902 crore.

    In 2020-21, the defence ministry incurred an expenditure of Rs 4,85,726 crore as against an allocation of Rs 4,71,378 crore at the BE stage, he said.

    The percentage of allocation to the defence ministry out of the total budget of the central government for 2018-19 was 16.56 percent while it was 15.47 percent in 2019-20 and 15.49 percent in 2020-21, according to the minister.

    Bhatt said an amount of Rs 45,705 crore was spent in 2018-19 on procurement from foreign sources while the figure for 2019-20 was 47,961.47 crore.

    The ministry spent Rs 53,118 crore in procurement from foreign countries in 2020-21.

    (With PTI Inputs)

  • Defence ministry didn’t buy Pegasus. So, who did?

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: In its first response to the Pegasus snoopgate controversy, the Ministry of Defence on Monday said it did not have any transaction with Israel-based NSO Group, which owns the spyware. The clarification came from Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt in response to a question by CPI’s Rajya Sabha member V Sivadasan. “Ministry of Defence has not had transaction with NSO Group technologies,” he said in a brief written statement.

    Sivadasan had bundled the question along with others on expenditure incurred by the defence ministry. When the controversy first broke, Union IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had in Parliament dismissed media reports on the use of the software to snoop on Indians, saying the allegations were aimed at maligning Indian democracy. 

    With the defence ministry washing its hands of the military grade cyber weapon, the question is who procured it, since over 1,000 Indian mobile numbers were on the list of possible targets. Also, a few of the instruments were found infected by Pegasus. NSO is emphatic that it supplies its spyware only to verified and vetted governments to help them strengthen internal and external security.

  • Logjam continues in Parliament as Opposition hardens stand on Pegasus row  

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: With both the Houses of parliament witnessing disruptions, the Opposition Wednesday toughened its stand and issued a joint statement blaming government for being arrogant and obdurate over refusal to accept the Opposition’s demand for an informed debate on Pegasus in both the Houses.

    In a joint statement issued by the Opposition and signed by floor leaders of 14 parties, they said that the Opposition stands firm and united on their demand for a discussion on the Pegasus issue in both the Houses, replied to by the Home Minister, as this has been national security dimensions.

    The Opposition has also unequivocally conveyed that the discussion on the farmers’ issues and agitations arising from the three “anti-farmers and black” agri-laws should follow the discussion on Pegasus. The statement has been signed by 14 opposition parties. AAP, which skipped the opposition breakfast meeting Tuesday, was also part of the statement.

    “It is unfortunate that the government has unleashed a misleading campaign to malign the combined opposition and blame it for the continued disruption in the Parliament. The responsibility for the deadlock lies squarely at the doorsteps of the government, which remains arrogant and obdurate and refuses to accept the Opposition’s demand for an informed debate in both the Houses. The opposition once again urges the government to respect parliamentary democracy and accept the discussion,” the statement said.

    Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu held a meeting with leaders from the opposition and treasury benches to end the stalemate and said that all issues can be taken up for discussion after an agreement between the two sides.

    As the uproar continued in the upper House, Naidu ordered six TMC MPs to withdraw from the House for the day. The MPs — Dola Sen, Nadimul Haque, Abir Ranjan Biswas, Shanta Chhetri, Arpita Ghosh, and Mausam Noor — had displayed placards in the well of the chamber disobeying the Chair. TMC MP Dr Santanu Sen has already been suspended for the entire session for snatching and tearing a statement from IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s hand on Pegasus.

    Meanwhile, the government blamed the Opposition for disruptions in both the Houses while it continued with the legislative business with both Houses passing bills amidst the din.

  • BJP’s Nishikant Dubey demands Shashi Tharoor’s removal as head of Parliamentary panel on IT 

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on Wednesday demanded the removal of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor as the head of the Parliamentary panel on Information Technology, alleging that he was using his position in a discriminatory manner.

    Dubey raised the issue in the Lok Sabha, saying a letter has already been submitted to the Speaker in this regard on Tuesday.

    The parliamentary panel’s meeting that was set to question government officials on Wednesday on the Pegasus spyware issue was postponed due to lack of quorum.

    A number of members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information and Technology sat in Parliament to discuss ‘Citizens’ safety and date protection’. However, BJP members of the panel who were present in the meeting room didn’t sign the attendance register in protest leading to a lack of quorum required for holding the meeting.

    The panel’s chair Tharoor had said the panel members will question officials from the Information and Technology Ministry and the Home Ministry who will depose before it on the Pegasus issue.

    BJP members opposed this alleging that when the Congress is not allowing discussion on this issue in Parliament then it can’t be discussed in the committee meeting.

    “BJP members come to the IT Committee and refuse to sign the attendance register to deny a quorum. Further, all the witnesses called from MiEIT and MHA wrote in excuses and didn’t appear as called to testify. It’s very clear that Pegasus is a no go area for this government,” the Congress’ Karti Chidambaram, who is a member of the panel, said on Twitter.

    Since the beginning of the Monsoon Session on July 19, both Houses have seen repeated disruptions as opposition parties have been demanding a Supreme Court-monitored judicial probe in this matter.

    The 32-member Parliamentary Standing Committee on IT was scheduled to meet on Wednesday, for which the listed agenda was — Citizens’ data security and privacy — according to a notification by Lok Sabha Secretariat.

    The panel, which has the maximum members from the ruling BJP, had summoned officials from the Ministry of Electronics, Information and Technology and the Ministry of Home Affairs.

    An international media consortium has reported that over 300 verified Indian mobile phone numbers were on a list of potential targets for surveillance using Israeli firm NSO’s Pegasus spyware.

    Opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi, two union ministers — Prahlad Singh Patel and Railways and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, businessman Anil Ambani, a former CBI chief, and at least 40 journalists are on the list on the leaked database of NSO.

    It is, however, not established that all the phones were hacked.