Colonel Qureshi case: SC extends protection for BJP minister Vijay Shah, orders closure of MP high court proceedings

The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended its interim protection against the arrest of BJP leader and Madhya Pradesh Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah in connection with a case arising from his controversial remarks about Colonel Sofiya Qureshi. 

During a brief hearing, a bench of Justices Suryakant and Dipankar Datta directed the Madhya Pradesh High Court to halt ongoing proceedings related to the case.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the bench that a Special Investigation Team (SIT), comprising three senior police officers, had been constituted as per the Court’s earlier direction. The SIT has begun investigating the case, with a preliminary probe already underway.

ALSO READ | Remarks on Col Sofia Qureshi: SIT files status report; SC to hear MP minister’s plea on Wednesday

“A status report filed by the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Bhopal, confirmed that the SIT visited the site on May 21, gathered material evidence, seized mobile phones, and recorded witness statements. As the investigation is still in its early stages, additional time was sought,” the bench noted, in its order.

The top court accepted the request and scheduled the matter for a future date, directing that another status report be submitted by then.

The court had been hearing two petitions filed by Shah.

The first challenges the MP High Court’s suo motu directive to register an FIR against him for referring to Colonel Qureshi as a sister of terrorists.The second concerns the High Court’s order dated May 15, where it expressed dissatisfaction with the FIR and announced it would supervise the investigation to ensure impartiality.

The Supreme Court had formed a SIT comprising three senior IPS officers from outside Madhya Pradesh to investigate the FIR, and temporarily barred Shah’s arrest, conditional on his full cooperation with the inquiry. Although the Court made clear it does not intend to oversee the investigation, it has requested periodic status updates from the SIT.

ALSO READ | When did India inform Pakistan about 'Operation Sindoor'? MEA Jaishankar breaks silence on Rahul Gandhi's claim

During an earlier hearing, the bench criticised Shah’s comments as filthy, crass, and shameful, and also dismissed his public apology as insincere. Justice Surya Kant remarked that Shah’s apology video failed to acknowledge the hurt caused and advised the minister to seriously reflect on his conduct and consider how to make amends.

The Supreme Court had earlier this month granted Vijay Shah interim protection from arrest but made some strong remarks against him.

"The entire nation is ashamed of you. It is up to you how you redeem yourself," the bench had remarked.

India