- विज्ञापन -
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has extended its interim order, which suspends the arrest of BJP Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah in connection with his remarks against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, who had briefed the media on Operation Sindoor targeting Pakistan. The court also closed suo moto proceedings initiated earlier by the Madhya Pradesh High Court regarding Shah’s comments, emphasizing that no parallel investigations should continue.
During the hearing, the bench, comprising Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotishwar Singh, reviewed a status report by the DIG Police. The report stated that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) composed of three IPS officers was formed on May 21, and the investigation was in its initial stages. The report also noted that further material had been gathered, witness statements recorded, and phones seized, with investigation still ongoing.
The court ordered the investigation to continue, with a further report to be filed, and scheduled the next hearing for July. Earlier, the Supreme Court had condemned Shah’s remarks against Colonel Qureshi, describing them as “filthy, crass, and shameful,” and ordered the formation of a SIT to probe the matter. The court had also rejected Shah’s public apology as insincere and had stayed his arrest, urging him to cooperate with the investigation.
The case was initiated after the Madhya Pradesh High Court took suo moto cognizance of Shah’s controversial statement on May 14, ordering the police to register an FIR under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The High Court warned that failure to register the FIR could lead to contempt proceedings against the Director General of Police. On May 15, the High Court criticized the police for the FIR, calling it a “gross subterfuge,” and directed that it monitor the case while allowing the investigation to proceed.
The controversy sparked when a viral video clip of Shah’s speech appeared on social media. Shah later claimed that his comments were taken out of context and were intended to praise Colonel Qureshi’s bravery.
