The Supreme Court expressed dissatisfaction with the Madhya Pradesh government’s delay in deciding on granting sanction to prosecute Tribal Affairs Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah for his controversial remarks about Indian Army officer Colonel Sofiya Qureshi. The court had earlier directed the state government to make a decision within two weeks, but Solicitor General Tushar Mehta stated that Shah’s comments were unfortunate, suggesting he may have intended to praise Colonel Qureshi but failed to do so effectively.
The Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi disagreed with Mehta’s view, emphasizing that the remarks were not just unfortunate but “most unfortunate.” The court remarked that as a politician, Shah should have been more careful in his statements and that an immediate apology should have followed if it was a genuine mistake. The court also noted that a status report from the Special Investigation Team indicated a pattern of such comments by Shah.
Senior advocate Maninder Singh, representing Shah, mentioned that the minister had publicly apologized for his remarks. However, the court questioned the sincerity of the apology, stating that it seemed more like a defense strategy than a genuine expression of regret. The Bench directed the state government to adhere to its previous order and make a decision on the sanction issue, considering all circumstances, with the next hearing scheduled in four weeks.
