The Supreme Court on Monday expressed strong displeasure over the Madhya Pradesh government’s delay in taking a decision on a request to prosecute state minister Vijay Shah for his controversial remarks against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) informed the court that it had sought the state government’s permission to prosecute Shah as early as August 2025, but no decision has been taken so far. The remarks were made by the minister following Operation Sindoor, after which an FIR was registered against him. Shah has since approached the Supreme Court seeking to quash the FIR.
SIT Action Stalled Since August
A Bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant expressed surprise at the prolonged inaction, noting that the SIT report had already been submitted to the government. “You have not been able to take a decision on the SIT report since August 19, 2025, and now it is January 19,” the CJI observed. The court noted that the SIT report, submitted in a sealed cover and later opened in open court, had recommended prosecution of Vijay Shah. However, the proposal remains pending with the state government. When Shah’s counsel argued that the minister had already apologized, the court dismissed the claim, stating that no formal apology was on record. The Bench further remarked that even the public apology issued later appeared to be an attempt to evade legal responsibility, describing it as “crocodile tears.”
The Supreme Court directed the Madhya Pradesh government to take appropriate steps under the law to decide on granting prosecution sanction. The court also asked senior officials present, including DIG (IB) D. Kalyan Chakraborty, to consider issues raised in connected petitions.
