New Delhi: A day after an expose by a global consortium of media organisations revealed that Israeli company NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware was used to allegedly bug 300 mobile phone numbers in India, more names including that of former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, two ministers in the Narendra Modi Council of Ministers, and political strategist Prashant Kishor surfaced Monday.
On Sunday, the expose revealed the names of 40 Indian journalists and activists whose phones were allegedly bugged and put on surveillance using the Israeli spy software.
This is the list of political leaders and serving Union ministers whose phones were allegedly potential targets of surveillance, some of which were successfully snooped upon, according to the expose by a global media consortium, including India’s The Wire.
Rahul Gandhi, former Congress president
Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister for Railways, IT and Communications and his wife
Prahlad Singh Patel, Union MoS Jal Shakti. (List also includes his wife, 15 of his close associates including private secretaries, political and office associates, his cook and gardener)
Prashant Kishor, election strategist
Ashok Lavasa, former election commissioner
Abhishek Banerjee, Trinamool Congress MP and national general secretary of the party
Gagandeep Kang, top scientist and virologist
Hari Menon, India head of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Jagdeep Chokhar, head of Association of Democratic Reforms
Alankar Sawai, close aide of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi
Sachin Rao, member of Congress Working Committee
Pradeep Awasthi, personal secretary to former Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje (when she was the CM)
Sanjay Kachru, Union minister Smriti Irani’s OSD during 2014-15
Pravin Togadia, former international working president of VHP
Also read: Rahul Gandhi, IT Minister, Prashant Kishor, Mamata nephew — latest in Pegasus ‘hacking’ list