Remarks on Col Qureshi: SC closes proceedings before MP high court against minister Vijay Shah

The Supreme Court on Wednesday closed the proceedings against Madhya Pradesh Tribal Affairs Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah before the state high court over his controversial remarks against Col Sofia Qureshi – the face of India’s press briefings on ‘Operation Sindoor’.

“Let the High Court close the proceedings in view of the case here (Supreme Court. Let there shall be no parallel proceedings,” a Bench led by Justice Surya Kant said.

Giving more time to the SIT set up on its orders, the top court posted the matter for further hearing after the summer vacation when it will consider another status report to be filed by the SIT.

The Bench ordered that the interim order staying Shah's arrest and asking the minister to join the probe shall continue till further orders.

Rejecting Shah’s apology the Supreme Court had on May 19 ordered the Madhya Pradesh Director General of Police to constitute an SIT led by an IGP and comprising two other IPS officers to probe his controversial remarks against Col. Sofia Qureshi.

On Wednesday, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Bench on behalf of the Madhya Pradesh Government that the SIT has been constituted and it has already started the probe and has seized the mobile phone of the accused along with a script of his speech. Statements of some witnesses have also been recorded, he said. However, noting that the probe was at an initial stage, Mehta sought more time.

Shah – a Madhya Pradesh BJP leader -- sparked a major controversy with his objectionable comments against Col Qureshi, whom he tried to project as a “sister of terrorists” while addressing a gathering in Ramkunda village near Indore on Monday, prompting the Congress to demand his resignation.

After he came under fire for his remarks, Shah said if anyone was hurt by his statement, he was ready to apologise 10 times and that he respected Col. Qureshi more than his sister.

In an embarrassment to the BJP, the Madhya Pradesh High Court had on May 14 ordered registration of an FIR against Vijay Shah for passing “dangerous” and “scurrilous” remarks using “language of the gutters” against Col Sofia Qureshi, saying his remarks had the propensity to cause disharmony, feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will between members of different religions.

“You (Shah) are a public figure… a seasoned politician. You should weigh your words when you speak. Should we display your video here?...Media people are not going into depth of your video...you were at a stage where you were going to use abusive language, very filthy language...but something prevailed on you and you stopped. This is an important issue for the Armed Forces. We need to be very responsible,” the top court had said on May 19, rejecting his apology.