Representational image | Photo: AFP
New Delhi: The three-member expert committee appointed by the Supreme Court to look into the Pegasus controversy has asked the petitioners, including MP John Brittas, to submit evidences. The committee was formed based on a plea submitted in the apex court by a group of concerned citizens.
The petitioners are also asked to submit the mobile phones, on which they suspect the spyware was installed, for technical inspection. The phones will be returned after the investigation. They have to be handed over to the committee by December 5, the e-mail communication reads.
There were multiples pleas before the top court by senior journalists N Ram and Sashi Kumar, Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas, advocate M L Sharma, former Union minister Yashwant Sinha and RSS ideologue KN Govindacharya seeking inquiry headed by a sitting or retired judge of the top court to investigate the alleged snooping.
Journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, SNM Abdi, Prem Shankar Jha, Rupesh Kumar Singh and Ipsa Shatakshi, who are reported to be on the potential list of snoop targets of Pegasus spyware, had also approached the top court along with The Editors Guild of India (EGI) among others.
The committee, formed by the SC on October 27, is headed by Justice RV Raveendran, a former Supreme Court Judge. It includes former chief of RAW Alok Joshi and cybersecurity expert Dr Sandeep Oberoi as well.