Supreme Court Slams Minister Vijay Shah for Remarks on Col Qureshi, Orders SIT Probe

The Supreme Court has strongly condemned Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah over his communal and derogatory comments aimed at a woman Army officer, believed to be Colonel Sofiya Qureshi. Rejecting his apology, the court ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising three IPS officers—including at least one woman—to probe the case. The SIT must be constituted by Tuesday and submit its report by May 28.

Justice Surya Kant criticized Shah’s apology as insincere, calling it an attempt to escape accountability. “What kind of apology is this? It feels like you’re shedding crocodile tears and using soft words to avoid proceedings,” the judge remarked. He emphasized that Shah should have shown maturity, especially since the comments targeted the armed forces—an institution symbolizing discipline and national pride.

While the court granted temporary protection from arrest, it made it clear that Shah “must face consequences” for his remarks. A notice was also issued to the Madhya Pradesh government, with the court stating, “This is a litmus test for you.”

The controversy stems from Shah’s inflammatory speech following India’s Operation Sindoor. Without directly naming Col Qureshi, Shah made communal references and implied that a woman from Pakistan’s “community” was sent to humiliate the enemy. His comments were widely interpreted as targeting Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, who played a key role during the Operation Sindoor briefings.

The remarks sparked nationwide outrage, with criticism pouring in from opposition leaders, military veterans, and even members of the BJP. Earlier, the Madhya Pradesh High Court had taken suo motu cognizance, calling Shah’s language “gutter-level” and ordering an FIR.

Though Shah later offered to “apologize ten times,” the Supreme Court found his words hollow and stressed that those in public office must act responsibly.