BHOPAL — The Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed the registration of a police case against BJP Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah over his controversial remarks targeting Muslim Indian Army officer Colonel Sofia Qureshi. Colonel Qureshi had recently briefed the media about Operation Sindoor, a mission against Pakistan.
Taking suo motu cognizance based on newspaper reports, Justice Atul Sreedharan observed that the minister’s comments were “dangerous” and could incite enmity between groups, potentially falling under Section 196 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with actions that promote enmity on religious grounds, reported Vartha Bharati.
“The FIR needs to be registered. Everyone can see it [the comments],” the judge stated, directing the Director General of Police (DGP) to file a First Information Report (FIR) by the evening. The court warned that failure to comply would lead to proceedings under the Contempt of Courts Act against the DGP.
When the Advocate General argued that the court had acted solely based on media reports, Justice Sreedharan remarked, “Now that you’ve said that, we will add links of videos to the order.” He also emphasized the urgency of the matter, stating, “I may not be alive tomorrow.”
The court made it clear that while the investigation would be left to the concerned authorities, the immediate registration of an FIR was non-negotiable. “Chaar gante bahut wakht hai (four hours is more than enough time),” the court noted, adding that the matter would be taken up on priority the next day.
“This is our order: DGP will comply or it will be stayed by the Supreme Court,” Justice Sreedharan concluded.
Breaking: Madhya Pradesh High Court takes suo motu cognizance of BJP minister Kunwar Vijay Shah's comments targeting Colonel Sofia Qureshi, the Indian Army officer who had briefed the media about Operation Sindoor against Pakistan. pic.twitter.com/mtRDCGjsP7
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