Advocate ML Sharma has moved the Supreme Court seeking a court monitored probe into the Pegasus snooping scandal..Sharma in his plea stated that the scandal is an attack on Indian democracy and involves issues concerning national security and judicial independence. "Pegasus scandal is a matter of grave concern and an attack on the Indian democracy, country's security and judiciary. The widespread use of surveillance is morally disfiguring. National security implications of this software is huge," the plea said.It is a question that whether buying of Pegasus software by Central government violates Articles 266(3), 267(2) and 283(2) of the Indian Constitution and whether it attracts the rigour of 408, 409 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code, the plea further stated. .Sixteen international media outlets across the globe including The Wire had published the investigation into Pegasus software being employed by different governments world wide including Indian government to snoop on political adversaries, journalists and Constitutional functionaries. Pegasus made by the Israeli software firm NSO Group, can infect smartphones without users' knowledge and access virtually all their data..Interestingly, mobile phone numbers belonging to the Supreme Court staffer, who accused former Chief Justice of India (CJI), Ranjan Gogoi of sexual harassment, and her family members were selected as potential targets for surveillance using Pegasus software as per The Wire. .Sharma has contended that "The explosive growth of surveillance technology vendors is a global security and human rights problem. It is not primarily China, but democratic states like Israel and UK, that are selling technologies for deepening the surveillance powers of states. There needs to be a global compact, or at least one amongst democratic states, on regulating these technologies.".It has been averred that Pegasus is not just a surveillance tool. It is a cyber-weapon being unleashed on the Indian polity."Even if authorised (which is doubtful), the use of Pegasus poses a national security risk," reads the plea. .The plea has sought directions to issue direction to frame a special investigation team under the supervision of Supreme Court for investigation into the Pegasus scandal & to prosecute all accused persons/ ministers for "buying of Pegasus and snooping of citizen of India including judges , opposition leaders and political persons, activist , advocates and others for their vested political interest since 2017 till date."
