Guwahati: The Supreme Court on Monday rejected BJP minister Kunwar Vijay Shah’s public apology for his derogatory remarks against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, calling it “insincere” and “an attempt to escape legal consequences.”
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh directed the Madhya Pradesh Director General of Police to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) by 10 am on Tuesday.
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The court ordered that the three-member SIT must include senior IPS officers from outside the state, with at least one being a woman. The team will be headed by an officer of IG rank, with the remaining members of SP rank or above.
While Shah’s arrest has been stayed, the court made it conditional upon his full cooperation with the probe. The SIT has been asked to file a status report, with the matter scheduled for further hearing on May 28.
The case stems from Shah’s remarks referring to Colonel Qureshi as a “sister of terrorists.” He had filed two petitions—challenging the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s suo motu direction to register an FIR and its May 15 order to monitor the investigation.
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Justice Surya Kant sharply criticized Shah’s apology, describing it as “crocodile tears” and lacking genuine remorse. “What kind of apology is this? You say ‘if someone is hurt’—you’re not even taking full responsibility,” he said.
The bench also rebuked the Madhya Pradesh government for its handling of the case. “When the High Court had to practically rewrite the FIR, what were you doing? Was there even a basic check on whether a cognizable offense had been made out?” the court questioned, underlining the need for an impartial investigation. While the Supreme Court declined to directly monitor the probe, it stated it would keep a “close watch” on the case.