The Supreme Court on Friday scheduled a hearing for May 19 on the plea filed by Madhya Pradesh Tribal Affairs Minister Vijay Shah, who is challenging a Madhya Pradesh High Court order directing the registration of an FIR against him over alleged objectionable remarks made against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh deferred the matter after senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for Shah, requested more time. The plea contests the May 14 high court order, which took suo motu cognisance of Shah’s comments and instructed the police to initiate criminal proceedings.
As the hearing was being scheduled, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing intervenors in the case, requested to be heard. Justice Kant assured him, “Yes, we will hear you on that day. List on May 19.”
On May 15, the top court had taken a stern view of the minister’s conduct. Chief Justice B.R. Gavai, during a separate hearing, remarked, “What sort of statements are you making? You are a responsible minister of the government.” The bench, also comprising Justice Augustine George Masih, observed that individuals holding constitutional offices are expected to act with restraint. “Every word uttered by a minister has to be with a sense of responsibility at a time the country is undergoing such a situation,” the court warned.
Senior advocate Vibha Datta Makhija, representing Shah, emphasized that the high court had issued the directive without hearing her client. She urged the apex court to stay the FIR, arguing that Shah’s remarks were misunderstood and had been taken out of context. “It was a statement which was misunderstood… he never meant what is being made out by the media,” she said. Makhija also informed the court that the minister had expressed remorse for his statement.
Shah’s comments attracted public outrage after a video clip showing him allegedly making derogatory remarks about Col Qureshi surfaced and went viral. Col Qureshi, along with Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, had received national attention during press briefings on Operation Sindoor, India’s evacuation mission in West Asia.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court, in its scathing order, criticised the minister for using “language of the gutters” and “scurrilous” expressions. It directed the Director General of Police to register an FIR against Shah under Sections 152 (acts endangering the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India), 196(1)(b) (promoting enmity between groups), and 197(1)(c) (statements likely to cause disharmony or hatred) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Following the high court’s directive, an FIR was lodged against Shah in Indore district on May 14. In response to the backlash, Shah said he was ready to apologise “ten times” if his words had hurt anyone, adding that he respected Col Qureshi “more than his sister.”
The Supreme Court’s upcoming hearing on May 19 is expected to determine whether the FIR stands or is stayed pending further proceedings.
