The Supreme Court has mandated the Madhya Pradesh government to decide within two weeks on prosecuting minister Kunwar Vijay Shah for his offensive remarks against Army officer Colonel Sofiya Qureshi. The court noted the SIT’s report is pending since August 2025, urging the state to act promptly on the mandatory sanction required under law.
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Madhya Pradesh government to take a decision within two weeks on granting sanction to prosecute state minister Kunwar Vijay Shah for his objectionable remarks targeting Indian Army officer Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, made in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor.A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Dipankar Datta and Joymalya Bagchi noted that a court-appointed special investigation team (SIT) has completed its probe and submitted its final report, but further proceedings have been stalled due to the absence of mandatory sanction from the state government under Section 196 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which relates to offences promoting communal hatred and ill-will, reported PTI.“You (state government) have been sitting over the SIT report since August 19, 2025. The statute casts an obligation on you and you must take a call. It is January 19, 2026 now,” the Chief Justice observed during the hearing.The bench opened and perused the SIT’s sealed cover report, recording that the probe panel had sought sanction to prosecute Shah after examining various aspects of the case.“We are informed that no action has been taken by the state since the matter is pending here. We direct the state of Madhya Pradesh to take an appropriate step for sanction in terms of law,” the court ordered.Counsel appearing for the state government submitted that no decision was taken as the matter was pending before the apex court. Rejecting the explanation, the bench said, “The investigation is complete. The state must now take a call,” and directed that the issue be decided within two weeks, with a compliance report to be filed.The court also took note of the SIT’s reference to certain other alleged instances in which Shah is said to have made objectionable remarks. It directed the SIT to probe those issues separately and submit an independent report detailing the proposed action on those statements.Deprecating the minister’s conduct, the CJI said it was “too late” for any apology. “It is too late to tender any apology. We had earlier commented on what kind of apology was submitted,” the bench remarked.On July 28, 2025, the top court had pulled up Shah for failing to place a public apology on record, observing that he was “testing the court’s patience” and raising doubts about his “intentions and bona fides”. When Shah’s counsel had argued that an apology was issued online, the court had responded, “What is an online apology? We are starting to have doubts about his intentions and bona fides. You place the apology on record. We will have to see it.”Earlier, on May 28 last year, the Supreme Court had ordered closure of proceedings before the Madhya Pradesh high court and sought a status report from the SIT, which was constituted after the court took exception to Shah’s remarks and the FIR lodged against him.Shah came under scrutiny after a widely circulated video allegedly showed him making objectionable comments against Col Qureshi, who rose to national prominence along with Wing Commander Vyomika Singh during official media briefings on Operation Sindoor. The Madhya Pradesh high court had rebuked Shah for using “language of the gutters” and making “scurrilous” remarks, directing the police to register an FIR for promoting enmity and hatred.Following widespread criticism, Shah had expressed regret, stating that he respected Col Qureshi more than his sister.