Chaini Parwani –
Published On: December 17, 2021 at 19:15 IST
The Supreme Court has Stayed all proceedings of the Two-Member Inquiry Commission initiated by the Former Supreme Court Judge, Justice Madan B Lokur which was constituted by West Bengal to Probe the Alleged Pegasus Spyware.
Further the Supreme Court issued a notification to the Commission in connection to the Matter.
Previously, the West Bengal Government had guaranteed the Supreme Court that the Commission would preclude to move ahead with an Investigation.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana, Justice Surya Kant and Justice Hima Kohli observed that notwithstanding the assurance of the West Bengal Government that the Lokur Panel would not proceed with the Inquiry, the Commission has commenced its work.
The Apex Court on October 27 had designated a Three-Member Panel of Cyber Experts to Investigate the claimed use of Israeli Spyware Pegasus for surveillance of certain people in India.
The Apex Court had stated that every citizen needs protection against privacy violation and mere invocation of national security by the State does not render the Court a mute spectator.
Former Supreme Court Judge Lokur and former Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court Jyotirmay Bhattacharya are the members of the Commission of Inquiry constituted by the West Bengal Government earlier.
An International Media Consortium has reported that over 300 verified Indian mobile phone numbers were on the list of potential targets for surveillance using Pegasus Spyware.
Also Read: The World of Hacking and Pegasus
The Pegasus Controversy: It’s Implications in India
