Pegasus Snooping Row: SC Stays Probe By Bengal Inquiry Commission

The Supreme Court has put a stay in the investigation being done by the Inquiry Commission of Bengal government in Pegasus snoopgate row.

Supreme Court | File Photo (Image: ABP News)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has stayed all proceedings of the two-member Inquiry Commission headed by the former-top court judge Justice Madan B Lokur which was constituted by West Bengal to investigate the alleged Pegasus snooping row.

The top court has also issued notice to the Commission regarding the matter. Earlier, the West Bengal government had assured the top court that the Commission won't go ahead with an inquiry.

A bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli took note of the plea that despite the assurance of the West Bengal government that the Lokur panel would not proceed with the inquiry, the commission has commenced its work, reported PTI.

The apex court on October 27 had appointed a three-member panel of cyber experts to probe the alleged use of Israeli spyware Pegasus for surveillance of certain people in India, saying every citizen needs protection against privacy violation and mere invocation of national security by the State does not render the court a mute spectator.

The former Supreme Court judge Lokur and former chief justice of Calcutta High Court Jyotirmay Bhattacharya are the members of the commission of inquiry announced by the West Bengal government last month.

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.