No proof that the spyware application Pegasus was used to eavesdrop on the phones under examination was discovered by a Supreme Court-appointed group of experts. A report regarding the same is submitted to the top court and the technical analysis leading to the said conclusion will be an essential part of the report.
According to a report by Hindustan Times, a person who has significant details of the matter has provided this information without disclosing his name. He said that more than 100 gadgets were examined by the committee, which retired Supreme Court judge RV Raveendran led; and details of the findings are contained in a 600-page record that was submitted to the court about a week ago.
According to this person, the first question in the committee’s terms of reference was to determine whether the Pegasus suite of spyware was used on phones or other devices of the citizens of India to access stored data, eavesdrop on conversations, intercept information, and/or for any other purposes not explicitly stated herein. The submission in response to this question states that there is no evidence found so far to prove that the Pegasus app was installed on those devices to snoop on the targets.
The panel was tasked with identifying the individuals targeted by the spyware, the steps taken by the Indian government in response to the alleged unlawful intrusion, and if Pegasus was originally purchased by the Indian government with the intention of spying on Indian residents. If it is the latter, the panel was also required to ascertain under what rule or policy it was bought.
The person also said, “The rest of the questions fail to be relevant once the panel has concluded that there is no evidence that the spyware was used to snoop on the devices at all. The report indicated the findings were based on sophisticated tests conducted by the panel on the devices people voluntarily turned in.”
He added that the tools used by the committee included a tool made by Amnesty International, which was among the non-profits that examined Pegasus infections, and the program was also used in other countries for forensic analysis. The government also used its own tools and devices and over a 600-page document refers to the technical analysis and the methodology. After extensive analysis using those tools, the controversial app was not found in the submitted phones.
RV Raveendran, who headed the committee of experts, said, “This is a pending matter. This is not an independent inquiry and the matter is sub judice. The court will disclose the details in its own time.”
The matter has not yet been scheduled for hearing, but the court register predicts that it will be brought on August 12 before a bench that includes Chief Justice of India NV Ramana and justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli.
It is notable that the Pegasus snooping issue started on July 18, 2021, when a group of media networks and investigative reporters claimed that among the 50,000 phone numbers chosen for infection with the Pegasus malware were those of Indian ministers, legislators, activists, entrepreneurs, and journalists.
The malware is considered a combat weapon since it employs cutting-edge tactics to infiltrate a person’s smartphone and overhear calls, activate the mic or camera, and access any device information, including messages, images, and videos.
Several of the 50,000 phone numbers from other countries included in the media articles were later proven to be affected after separate investigations by respective nations and other organizations.
