ShutterstockThe Union ministry of home affairs has no details whether it used Pegasus for the purpose of surveillance against individuals, although it confirmed it has kept the data of interception and surveillance of mobile phones of people under records labeled “Top Secret”. Replying to an RTI, the MHA said it had “no information to furnish” about the question whether the Pegasus was used for intercepting, monitoring, or decrypting the mobile phones of individuals. The ministry refused to divulge the information citing sections under RTI Act, which allows withholding of information which may affect the sovereignty and integrity of the country or may “impede the process of investigation or apprehension or prosecution of offenders”. “The matter has been examined and it is informed the information sought is not available in compiled form. The sought information requires processing of “Top Secret” records and the processing of such information is not advisable in the larger public interest.

Source: The Telegraph December 30, 2019 12:22 UTC