Supreme Court remarked in Vijay Shah case “The kind of crass comments you made, completely thoughtlessly… We don’t need this apology.”

Supreme Court remarked in Vijay Shah case “The kind of crass comments you made, completely thoughtlessly… We don’t need this apology.”

The Court rejected Shah’s apology and asked him to join the investigation.

Supreme Court orders SIT probe against BJP’s Vijay Shah for remarks on Col Sofiya Qureshi, stays his arrest

The Supreme Court on Friday censured Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) minister Kunwar Vijay Singh for his remarks against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, who briefed the media during India’s recent cross-border military response, Operation Sindoor, against Pakistan.

The Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice N Kotiswar Singh ordered constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of three IPS officers of Madhya Pradesh cadre to probe the matter. It asked the Director General of Police to constitute the SIT by tomorrow.

“We would like to have a very close watch,” the Court said.

Meanwhile, the Court stayed Shah’s arrest.

The Court questioned the apology made by Shah and said he had not committed any contempt of court to express apology for his words.

“The kind of crass comments you made, completely thoughtlessly… We don’t need this apology,” the Court remarked, adding that it was an attempt to wriggle out of consequences.

The Court further remarked that Shah was exposed in public and he should have been wise enough to own up to his actions.

“You are saying ‘if’ I have done,” Justice remarked.

The Court also questioned the State inaction in the matter. “What have you done after registering the FIR? Has he[SHO] examined what kind of offence is made out. What is the status,” it said.

The Court added that the State should have done “something more” by now.

Shah had stirred controversy after he reportedly remarked: “Those who widowed our daughters, we sent a sister of their own to teach them a lesson. The comment was widely viewed as a veiled reference to Colonel Qureshi.

Madhya Pradesh High Court on May 14 initiated a suo motu case against him and directed registration of a criminal case against him. She then moved the Court.

“His comments are disparaging and dangerous, not just to the officer in question but to the armed forces itself,” the High Court had said last week, while taking suo motu congnizance of his remarks.

The High Court had said Shah used the “language of the gutters” by allegedly calling Colonel Qureshi the “sister of terrorists.”

Following the High Court order, an FIR was registered against Shah late on May 14 under Sections 152, 196(1)(b), and 197(1)(c) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

On May 15, the High Court pulled up the State for drafting the FIR in a manner that it could tomorrow be quashed for not explicitly mentioning the actions of the accused.

The Court went on direct that its May 14 order shall be read as part of the FIR for all judicial, quasi-judicial and investigative purposes.

Today, the top court issued notice on Shah’s petition and ordered that an SIT will probe the matter.