Pegasus Row: West Bengal Govt Sets Up Inquiry Panel To Probe Phone Hacking

The Centre is in no mood to investigate the Pegasus snooping row, but the West Bengal government has decided to investigate the phone-hacking case in the state.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced on Monday that the state cabinet had approved of a panel — which will include retired judges, Justice MV Lokur and Justice Jyotirmoy Bhattacharya – to investigate the case which has rocked the country.

The panel will include retired judges Justice MV Lokur and Justice Jyotirmoy Bhattacharya. Banerjee Monday called a special Cabinet meeting where this setting up of this commission of inquiry was approved.

“The cabinet has approved the appointment of a commission of inquiry consisting of Hon’ble justice MV Lokur, retired justice of Supreme Court and Hon’ble justice Jyotirmay Bhattacharya, retired Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court in exercise of power of section 3 of Commission of Inquiry Act 1952, in the matter of illegal hacking, monitoring, surveillance, tapping, recording, etc. of mobiles phones in the state of West Bengal,” the CM stated before leaving for a three-day trip to New Delhi.

Mamata said that she had hoped the Central government will form a neutral investigation team but when that did not happen, the state decided to form its inquiry panel.

“The panel will probe hacking and how it is being done… hope this small step will be a wake-up call to others. We want the Justices to start as soon as possible. Many people from Bengal have been tapped,” Mamata claimed.

Her nephew and Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee was among political leaders and other eminent citizens from across India whose name appears on the list of potential surveillance targets of the Israeli-made spyware.

Also Read: Pegasus Hacking: Illegal Surveillance Not Possible, Says Union Minister Vaishnaw