NCP tells Centre to come clear

Malik told reporters here that the Defence ministry has said there was no transaction with the NSO Group, an Israeli surveillance software company, regarding the Pegasus spyware. “In that case, the Union government should immediately announce an inquiry whether any foreign country snooped on opposition leaders in India, Supreme Court judges, businessmen, journalists and advocates, he said.

If it is the case, then it is more serious, said Malik. The Centre should openly state that no government department has used service of NSO Group-developed spyware. Just one department denying use does not necessarily mean it is the government’s clarification, he said.

The Defence ministry had said it did not have any transaction with the NSO Group.