The Editors Guild of India has urged the former Supreme Court judge probing the Pegasus controversy to take cognisance of the New York Times report that claims the Narendra Modi government bought the Israeli spyware in 2017, and seek the Centre’s responses.
The apex court had formed the probe panel under Justice (retd) R.V. Raveendran after allegations surfaced that the phones of several Indian politicians and journalists and at least one judge were on a list of potential targets to be hacked via Pegasus.
The Editors Guild said the probe panel should seek responses on affidavit from the Centre, comptroller and auditor general, and the secretaries of all the ministries that may have been involved with the alleged purchase of the spyware.
“We are writing this letter with reference to an investigative report that has been published by the New York Times on Jan. 28, 2022… in which serious allegations have been raised with respect to purchase and use of the Pegasus spyware by the government of India,” the Editors Guild wrote to Justice Raveendran on Sunday.
It said the NYT report gave a detailed account of the history of the NSO, the Israeli company that developed and owns Pegasus, and of how Tel Aviv had used the spyware to seek diplomatic gains from countries across the world, including India.
“We have attached the full copy of the report with this letter,” the Editors Guild said.
It reiterated its earlier suggestion that the proceedings of the probe panel should be in the public domain to ensure transparency relating to the witnesses being called and their responses.
In a media statement to which the letter was attached, the Editors Guild expressed “deep concern (at) the claims made” in the NYT report.
It described as “vague and non-committal” the Centre’s stance on the issue, especially whether the spyware “was used against Indian citizens, including journalists and civil society members”.
So far, the Modi government has not issued any official statement on the NYT report although a minister has questioned the US newspaper’s credibility.
The Congress has urged the Supreme Court to take suo motu notice of the report and initiate proceedings against the Centre.