NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday ordered consituting a special investigation team to probe controversial remarks made by Madhya Pradesh Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi.
The Army officer shot into fame for regular press briefings during the 'Operation Sindoor' an armed offensive launched by India on terror network in Pakistan.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh castigated the Minister and questioned him for failing to make sincere attempts to tender an apology in the matter.
"There is some meaning of apology. Sometimes people use docile language only to wriggle out of proceedings. And sometimes they shed crocodile tears. What kind of apology is yours," the bench asked his counsel.
The court said that the minister's remarks were "crass" and "completely thoughtless".
"We don't require your apology. We know how to deal with it as per the law," the bench further told his counsel.
The bench also asked the Madhya Pradesh government what action has been taken so far in this case and also asked the police about the status of the case.
The bench told the minister's counsel he is a public figure and a seasoned politician, and he should have weighed his words.
"You were at the verge of using abusive language, you stopped. You were about to use filthy language, you couldn’t find a word so you stopped," the bench said.
The bench ordered that a special investigation team comprising three senior IPS officers, who do not belong to the State of Madhya Pradesh, must investigate the FIR against the BJP minister for his remarks against Colonel Sofiya. The bench said that one of the officers should be a woman.
The bench directed the Madhya Pradesh DGP to constitute the SIT by 10 AM Tuesday, and it should be headed by an IGP and both members shall be also of rank SP or above.
The bench also put on hold the arrest of Shah in the FIR, subject to the condition that he should join and cooperate with the investigation fully.
"Meanwhile, you think how you will redeem yourself...entire nation is ashamed of...we are a country that firmly believes in rule of law..," the bench told his counsel.
Shah filed a plea in the Supreme Court challenging an order of Madhya Pradesh High Court of May 14, 2025, which directed the registration of a criminal case against him for his controversial remarks on Colonel Qureshi.
At a public event near Indore on May 13, Shah claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had sent "a sister from the same community" as those in Pakistan to avenge the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam.
Taking a suo motu cognisance, the HC had passed its order.
Shah is the tribal affairs minister and BJP leader.
