Hyderabad, July 20 -- In a not-so-surprising development, investigations have revealed that the Israel-based NSO group's spyware was used in the run up to the toppling of the former Congress-JD(S) government in Karnataka.

It has been found that in July 2019, the phone numbers of deputy chief minister G. Parameshwara and the personal secretaries of chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and former chief minister Siddaramaiah were selected as possible targets.

According toThe Wire's review of phone number records, it has been found that some of the key political players in Karnataka were reportedly selected around the time when a struggle was taking place between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Janata Dal (Secular)-Congress-led state governme...