Non-cooperation of govt on Pegasus is admission that it was misused: CPI-M

SC said technical panel appointed by it to probe unauthorised use of Pegasus has found some malware in 5 of the 29 mobile phones examined, but could not conclude whether it was due to Israli spyware

After a Supreme Court-appointed committee's observation that the Centre did not cooperate with the Pegasus probe, the CPI(M) on Friday hit out at the government saying "non-cooperation" is often an evidence of guilt.

The apex court on Thursday said the technical panel appointed by it to probe the unauthorised use of Pegasus has found some malware in five of the 29 mobile phones examined, but could not conclude whether it was due to the Israeli spyware.

"The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) strongly denounces the refusal of the Union Government to be accountable before the judiciary and to the country on the use of Pegasus, a military grade spyware, against our own citizens. The committee appointed by the Supreme Court to investigate the use of this spyware has informed that the government was not cooperative. This is unacceptable," the party said in a statement.

It further stated that non-cooperation is an admission that the spyware was misused.

"Such obduracy of non-cooperation by the government is a clear admission that this spyware was misused against those holding high Constitutional office, opposition leaders, journalists etc, which has a damaging impact on the quality of democracy and democratic rights of citizens.

"When the allegations of the use of Pegasus came up, many countries had begun serious investigations. France, Mexico, Spain and others are seriously pursuing these investigations. Israeli investigations have revealed that the governments of countries like India, Hungary and Saudi Arabia have brought this spyware. Given this, it is incumbent upon the Union government to come clean and be accountable. The judiciary must ensure such accountability," it said.