US Court Ruling on Pegasus Spyware Sparks Criticism from Congress Leader Randeep Surjewala

A recent decision by a US court has held Israel's NSO Group accountable for its spyware, Pegasus. This ruling has drawn sharp criticism from Congress leader Randeep Surjewala, who emphasized that the verdict supports claims that 300 WhatsApp numbers in India were targeted. On December 20, a US judge ruled in favor of Meta Platforms' WhatsApp in a lawsuit accusing NSO Group of exploiting a vulnerability in the messaging app to install spyware for unauthorized surveillance.

Surjewala took to social media to express his concerns, stating, "The Pegasus Spyware case verdict proves how 300 WhatsApp numbers of Indians were targeted in the illegal spyware racket." He posed several questions to the Indian government, asking about the identities of those targeted, including Union Ministers, Opposition leaders, journalists, and business persons. He also questioned the use of the information gathered and whether criminal cases would be filed against those responsible.

Surjewala further questioned whether the Supreme Court of India would take note of the US court's judgment and make public the report of the Committee of Technical Experts on Pegasus Spyware. He also asked if the Supreme Court would conduct further inquiries and request Meta to submit the names of the 300 targeted individuals.

US District Judge Phyllis Hamilton in California found NSO Group liable for hacking and breach of contract, allowing the case to proceed to trial on the issue of damages. Will Cathcart, head of WhatsApp, described the ruling as a "victory for privacy." WhatsApp had sued NSO in 2019, accusing the company of installing Pegasus spyware on victims' devices. NSO argued that Pegasus was used to fight crime and protect national security, but the US courts have not granted them immunity.