Pegasus row:Centre refuses to file ditailed affidavit,SC reserves order

The Supreme Court on Monday reserved its judgement on pleas seeking an independent probe into the alleged surveillance of certain people using the Pegasus spyware.Earlier, the government said "it had nothing to hide" but cited "national security" to tell the Supreme Court it would not file a detailed affidavit in response to petitions seeking a formal inquiry into the Pegasus spyware scandal. "Existence of whether a particular software was used or not cannot become part of an affidavit or subject of public discourse. Target groups, terror groups should not know what software is being used," Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court.

"We will set up a committee of domain experts. The petitioners who say their numbers were put under interception can be considered by the committee. The committee report will be placed before your lordships," the Solicitor General said. "We reserve orders. This is for interim orders. You have two-three days,  Mehta. If you do any rethink, you can mention it before this court," CJI NV Ramana said.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for two of the petitioners, said: "... we don't want to hamper national security... (but) if Pegasus was used, and ordinary citizens targeted, it is very serious," he said, pointing to reports German police had bought and used Pegasus. "Why can't the Indian government not admit its use of Pegasus? Why should the government be allowed to set up a committee of its own?" he asked. The Centre had earlier filed a limited affidavit in the Supreme Court, saying the pleas seeking an independent probe into the Pegasus issue were based on "conjectures and surmises or on other unsubstantiated media reports or incomplete or uncorroborated material".