Pegasus: SC Appointed Panel Extends Timeline Till Feb 8 For People

Just two persons seemingly affected by the Pegasus spyware have so far pledged to give their phones to the SC-appointed technical committee looking into the Pegasus issue, forcing the panel to extend the timeline for affected persons to turn up before it.

The technical committee appointed by the Supreme Court has now given more time, till February 8, for people to come forward and contact the panel if they suspected that their devices were infected by the Pegasus malware.

The development comes amid the fresh allegations in the Pegasus spyware issue.

A recent New York Times report claiming that India bought Pegasus spyware as part of a USD 2 billion defence deal with Israel in 2017, triggered a major controversy last Saturday, with the Opposition alleging that the government indulged in illegal snooping that amounted to “treason”.

In a public notice issued on Thursday in leading dailies, the SC- appointed panel said that in response to its initial appeal to the public in January, only two persons have produced their mobile instruments for taking digital images.

“Therefore, the technical committee once again requests those who have reasonable causes to believe their mobile instrument is infected with Pegasus spyware to come forward and contact the technical committee with reasons as to why they believe that their mobile instrument may have been infected with Pegasus malware on or before February 8, 2022, by an email,” it said.

The previous notice last month had mentioned a timeline of January 7, 2022.

In its latest public notice, the committee said that on receiving information, if the committee feels the need for further investigation, it may call upon the individual to produce the mobile device for examination, and for taking digital images.

“When an instrument is produced, a digital image will be taken in the presence of the person producing the instrument and immediately thereafter, the instrument will be returned to the person…A digital image copy will also be furnished to the person producing the mobile instrument,” it said.

The panel further urged those having any information or material relevant to the ongoing enquiry, to come forward and furnish their statements to the technical committee.

(PTI)