Supreme Court to continue its hearing today of a batch of petitions seeking SIT/judicial probe into the reports of snooping using Pegasus spyware.The Supreme Court on August 10 granted time to Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to seek instructions from the Government on the petitions seeking probe into the Pegasus snooping controversy, on a request made by...
Supreme Court to continue its hearing today of a batch of petitions seeking SIT/judicial probe into the reports of snooping using Pegasus spyware.
The Supreme Court on August 10 granted time to Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to seek instructions from the Government on the petitions seeking probe into the Pegasus snooping controversy, on a request made by him
Matter adjourned to Tomorrow
CJI: If govt is reluctant and say they don’t want to file an affidavit how do we compel them?
Sibal: Let them say that, then we can argue the other issues. In that case the matter gets even more serious because they are not denying it
Sibal: let them say if the government used it or not, That will not reveal any national security issue.
SG: IT Act, This was beautiful legislation laid down during Mr sibal’s tenure. Its a comprehensive legislation, you can’t go beyond that.
Sibal: All we want to know is if Government used #Pegasus. They can say no
SG; Will you withdraw it if we say no?
Sibal: See Mr Mehta, Beauty over the years is no longer beautiful. It was beautiful, Over the years its lost its beauty, the way you are using it.
SG: if lordship approves Committee can be constituted of independent neutral experts and not government officers
CJI: We understand this is affidavit you have filed.
SG: A committee may be formed and terms of reference can be laid down by court. Mr Dwivedi said government can’t be trusted. I disagree, it can be.
SG Mehta: The experts can. They can be conferred by the court with whatever terms of reference. They can be mandated by this court.
SG: there’s nothing to hide. Kindly appreciate bona fide gesture of the Government.
CJI: We are not saying anything against government. Thats not issue. There are areas which committee can go into while some they cant.
CJI: There are 2 issues, experts can go into angle of software being used or not. Other issues of permission, procurement has to be examined too, who will examine?
CJI: how will committee will look into it?
SG: They can be authorised
SG: What’s stated in reply is precisely this, what petitioners want. All these questions can only be gone into by technical experts. If i say no, they will not withdraw. They will say then that no needs to be examined
SG: If it needs to be gone into, I’m ready. Allow us to have a committee. A false narrative is being created. It’s showing a good faith decision by the government. We have made clear before Parliament that we have gone by statutory regime.