In a significant development, the Supreme Court of India has scheduled a hearing for April 29 to address a series of petitions demanding an investigation into the alleged unauthorized deployment of Pegasus spyware, which reportedly targeted journalists and other figures. The hearing, initially set for earlier dates, reflects the escalating concerns over privacy violations and surveillance.
The decision to postpone was announced by a bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh, citing scheduling constraints. The upcoming hearing underscores the judiciary’s engagement with the contentious issue of unauthorized surveillance and the use of sophisticated spyware against Indian citizens.
Senior advocate Shyam Divan, representing several petitioners, emphasized the urgency of the matter, pointing out the Supreme Court’s previous order to disclose the findings from a technical panel which has not yet been fulfilled. “This court will have to pass some directions because we have not received the reports,” Divan urged.
The case traces back to serious allegations that emerged over the use of Israeli-developed Pegasus spyware by government agencies for targeted surveillance of prominent personalities in politics, media, and activism. Following these allegations, the Supreme Court in 2021 took the decisive step of ordering a detailed investigation, appointing both technical and supervisory committees to delve into the accusations.
Justice R V Raveendran, leading the oversight panel, reported a lack of cooperation from the Central government during the investigation process. Despite identifying malware in several devices, the panel could not conclusively attribute this to Pegasus spyware due to limited data.
The technical committee, comprising experts Naveen Kumar Chaudhary, Prabaharan P, and Ashwin Anil Gumaste, was tasked with a comprehensive investigation into whether Pegasus was indeed used to infringe upon the privacy of citizens. Their efforts were monitored by former IPS officer Alok Joshi and cybersecurity expert Sundeep Oberoi.
This ongoing probe has broader implications for India’s cybersecurity and privacy landscape, with potential legal reforms suggested to enhance protections for individual privacy rights and strengthen national cybersecurity measures.
