Pegasus row: SC says ‘can’t compel’ Centre to file detailed affidavit; govt to set up probe panel

The Supreme Court on Monday said it cannot compel the “reluctant” Centre to file a detailed affidavit on petitions seeking to know if Pegasus spyware was used to snoop on certain citizens and steps it took to probe the allegations.

The Centre, while denying all claims linked to recent reports that the Israeli Pegasus spyware was used to target opposition leaders, journalists and others, informed the apex court that a group of experts will be investigating into all such claims.

The apex court bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana would on Tuesday deliberate on whether the Centre should file a detailed affidavit in the matter, after the short one in which it submitted on Monday that the petitions seeking an independent probe into the snooping allegations are based on “conjectures,