SC rejects MP minister’s apology, orders SIT probe over remarks on Col Qureshi

THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK

New Delhi, May 19: The Supreme Court on Monday delivered a sharp rebuke to Madhya Pradesh Cabinet Minister and BJP leader Vijay Shah for making objectionable remarks against Army officer Colonel Sofiya Qureshi.

The court not only refused to accept Shah’s apology, calling it “crocodile tears,”, but also ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the FIR registered against him.

However, the court granted temporary protection from arrest during the course of the investigation.

A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh directed the Director General of Police, Madhya Pradesh, to constitute the SIT by 10 a.m. on Tuesday. The team is to be headed by an officer of Inspector General (IG) rank and must include a woman officer.

The Supreme Court also instructed the SIT to submit its first status report by May 28.

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Court Slams Shah’s Conduct and Questions Apology

Taking serious note of the minister’s behaviour, the bench remarked that his comments had brought embarrassment to the nation. The court noted that his words nearly crossed into vulgarity and were only held back by a moment of restraint or lack of vocabulary.

“The entire nation was in shame due to the comments… We saw your videos , you were on the verge of using very filthy language but somehow better sense prevailed or you did not find suitable words. You should be shameful. Entire country is proud of our Army and you made this statement,” Justice Surya Kant said.

It strongly criticised the manner in which Shah attempted to apologise, stating that the conditional nature of his statement lacked sincerity. The court stressed that Shah should have taken full responsibility for his conduct rather than offering a vague apology.

“What kind of apology was this? You should have simply admitted your mistake and apologised but you say if you have said this and that…then I apologise. This is not the way to seek apology. The kind of crass comments you made, you should be shameful,” the bench stated.

The bench expressed concern that Shah’s apology appeared to be an attempt to avoid legal consequences rather than a genuine expression of regret. It observed that the comments were ‘crass’ and should not have come from a public figure, especially when directed at a serving Army officer.

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FIR Registered Post HC Order

Vijay Shah, who was represented in court by senior advocates Maninder Singh and Vibha Dutt Makhija, has faced strong backlash since making the controversial statement on May 12. Amid growing criticism, the BJP minister stated that he was willing to apologise multiple times if his words had caused offence and even claimed he respected Colonel Qureshi more than his own sister.

Following these developments, an FIR was registered against Shah on May 14 in Indore district, after the Madhya Pradesh High Court directed the police to take action. The case has since drawn national attention due to the involvement of a high-ranking minister and the nature of the remarks.

SC Questions State’s Delay in Action

The apex court also scrutinised the role of the Madhya Pradesh government, raising concerns over the delay in registering the FIR. The bench questioned why no action was taken prior to the High Court’s intervention and asked the state to clarify the steps it had taken following the minister’s comments.

The court reminded Shah that, as an elected representative, he was expected to set a standard through responsible conduct and respectful language—particularly when referring to members of the armed forces.