Pegasus inquiry: Take note of the NYT report

Acontroversy over the alleged purchase and potential use of Pegasus spyware reignited last week after the New York Times (NYT) reported that India bought the sophisticated malware as part of a $2-billion weapons package. With a Supreme Court (SC)-appointed panel probing the charges of hacking, the government officially remained silent on the report, though Union minister of state VK Singh hurled a barb at the newspaper, and the Opposition renewed its attacks on the administration. The issue is likely to roil the budget session of Parliament that begins on Monday.

Since a global investigative consortium reported in July last year that politicians, journalists and activists — including staff of this newspaper — were potentially targeted using Pegasus, the government has refused to clear its stance on whether the spyware was purchased. In Parliament and in the SC, the Centre has evaded questions on whether it either bought or authorised the use of Pegasus. This stand, coupled with Pegasus manufacturer NSO Group’s statement that it only sells to vetted governments, has fuelled partisan political attacks.

The charges in the NYT report are serious. The three-member panel set up by the apex court should take note of it and include it in the scope of its ongoing inquiry. A fresh petition has already been filed in the top court on the basis of the report. If the Pegasus revelations are true, it represents a serious breach of fundamental rights and a violation of the compact between a State and its citizens. Technological tools often operate in a grey legal zone, but the right to personal liberty is one of the foundational principles of a modern democracy and cannot be compromised. The snooping charges deserve a thorough and impartial probe, and the people, the truth.