‘Pegasus phone tapping’: Government denies surveillance allegations, says it has ‘no solid basis’
The government on Sunday dismissed allegations of phone tapping of prominent persons, including ministers, opposition leaders, journalists, businessmen and others.
An official statement issued by the government said, “There is no solid basis or truth attached to the allegations of government surveillance on specific persons.”
It said the questionnaire sent to the Indian government indicates that the story being made up is “not only devoid of facts” but also “founded in pre-conceived conclusions”.
“It looks like you are trying to play the role of an investigator, prosecutor and jury,” the government said in its reply.
The Indian government’s response to a Right to Information application regarding the use of Pegasus has been reported prominently by the media and is sufficient to counter any malicious claims about the alleged linkage between the government and Pegasus.
The government said similar claims had been made in the past regarding India’s use of Pegasus on WhatsApp. It added that those reports had no factual basis and were categorically denied by all parties, including WhatsApp, in the Supreme Court.
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