Veteran journalists N Ram and Sashi Kumar have moved the Supreme Court seeking an independent probe by its sitting or retired judge into reports of government agencies using Israeli spyware Pegasus to allegedly snoop on eminent citizens, politicians and scribes.

The petition seeks investigation into the hacking of phones using the Pegasus spyware, saying it represented an attempt by agencies and organisations to muzzle and chill the exercise of free speech and expression of dissent in India.