We expect you to wait: SC to West Bengal on Pegasus probe panel

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 25

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it expected the Justice Madan B Lokur Commission of Inquiry set up by the West Bengal Government not to proceed further as it would take up next week petitions seeking a SIT probe into Pegasus snooping scandal.

“In all fairness we expect you to wait…we will hear it with the other matters sometime next week,” a Bench led by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana told senior counsel AM Singhvi, who represented the West Bengal Government.

“If we are hearing other matters, we expect some restraint,” it added.

The Bench, which had issued notice to the Centre on August 17 on petitions seeking an independent probe into alleged snooping on politicians, journalists and activists using Pegasus spyware, said the issue was likely to have pan-India impact.

As Singhvi said nothing big was going to happen in the next few days, the Bench said, “You are forcing us to pass an order.” He urged the court not to pass any orders, saying he would convey it to the West Bengal Government.

The Bench clubbed the petition filed by NGO ‘Global Village Foundation Public Charitable Trust’ against Justice Lokur Commission of Inquiry with other petitions on Pegasus controversy.