New Delhi, Jan 19 (NationPress) The Supreme Court has instructed the Madhya Pradesh government to reach a decision within two weeks regarding the sanction needed to prosecute Tribal Affairs Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah due to his controversial statements about Indian Army officer Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, who had addressed the media during last year’s Operation Sindoor.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant expressed dissatisfaction over the Madhya Pradesh government’s delay in responding to the request from the court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) for prosecution sanction.

During the proceedings, the apex court reviewed the SIT’s sealed cover report and highlighted that, after investigating various aspects, the team had requested permission from the Madhya Pradesh government to prosecute Shah.

The state government responded by stating that it had not acted on the SIT’s request, citing that the matter was sub judice before the Supreme Court.

“We are informed that no action has been taken by the State since the matter is pending here. We direct the State of Madhya Pradesh to take an appropriate step for sanction in accordance with the law,” stated the CJI Kant-led bench.

It also acknowledged the SIT’s mention of other incidents where Shah allegedly made inappropriate remarks, requesting the team to submit a report detailing the proposed actions regarding those instances.

When senior advocate Maninder Singh, representing Shah, mentioned that the minister had already apologized for his comments and was cooperating with the investigation, the CJI Kant-led bench dismissed the claim, stating: “Where is the apology? Nothing on record. Now it is too late also.”

Previously, the apex court had also expressed discontent with the “online apology” that Shah purportedly issued.

On an earlier occasion, it remarked that such apologies seemed to be “crocodile tears” aimed at evading legal accountability.

Shah, a BJP MLA from the Harsood Assembly constituency and a minister in CM Mohan Yadav’s Cabinet, approached the Supreme Court after the Madhya Pradesh High Court initiated suo motu proceedings, mandating the registration of an FIR against him for his inappropriate remarks about the Indian Army officer.

While granting him interim protection from coercive measures, including arrest, the apex court instructed the Madhya Pradesh DGP (Director General of Police) to form a three-member SIT of senior IPS officers, including a female officer, to investigate the case.