New Delhi, Aug 3 (IANS) The Editors Guild of India has moved the Supreme Court seeking an SIT probe into the alleged Pegasus snooping allegations and also a disclosure from the Centre on the alleged use of spyware for hacking and surveillance between 2017 and 2021.
The journalists body also sought issuance of guidelines on surveillance on Indian citizens and safeguarding them from electronic surveillance, spying and hacking.
The plea said surveillance has a chilling effect on public actors holding the government accountable and also termed it unconstitutional and illegal, as surveillance impedes the free flow of ideas and information.
The plea said: "This has a severely detrimental impact on the ability of politicians and public officials to freely exercise their freedom of profession."
The plea also urged the top court to declare provisions of the Indian Telegraph Act, and the Information Technology Act, allowing tapping of phones, as unconstitutional, illegal, and void.
Five journalists have also moved the Supreme Court stating the unauthorised use of surveillance by government agencies have violated their fundamental rights and they are directly affected by the use of Pegasus spyware.
The petitioners -- Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, S.N.M. Abdi, Prem Shankar Jha, Rupesh Kumar Singh, and Ipsa Shatakshi - urged the top court to issue directions to the Centre to produce and disclose all materials and documents, with respect to all investigation, authorisation, and orders pertaining to the use of Pegasus on them. The petitioners alleged they were subjected to deeply intrusive surveillance and hacking by government or some other third party.
Petitions in the matter have also been filed by advocate M.L. Sharma, CPI-M Rajya Sabha member John Brittas, and senior journalists N. Ram and Sashi Kumar. The top court has scheduled the matter for hearing on August 5.
A 34-year-old Indian man, likely to be extradited to the United Kingdom in the first week of October for allegedly committing rape and murder there 10 years ago, said through his lawyer on Sunday that he was being made a scapegoat since he hailed from a poor family.
A photograph of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan reading William Dalrymple's latest book 'The Anarchy' on his flight to Jeddah with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi peeking over from his seat has gone viral on social media.
According to district police officials, Rabri Devi agreed to allow entry of her daughter-in-law in her residence on Monday morning following intervention by the Director General of Police (DGP) Gupteshwar Pandey.
A 19-year-old Delhi-based Christian girl who flew to Abu Dhabi earlier this month and embraced Islam, has rubbished reports that she has been abducted and coerced into joining a terrorist group, adding that she came to the UAE for love.
Actress Anushka Sharma says she is proud of her cricketer husband Virat Kohli for hosting Indian Sports Honours (ISH), which recognises sporting talent in India.
Veteran actor of Marathi and Hindi films Viju Khote, who was popular for his Kalia character from the 1975 cult classic "Sholay" is no more. He was 78.
