The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Thursday sharply rebuked state authorities on the “poorly-drafted” FIR filed against Tribal Affairs Minister Vijay Shah and said that it will monitor the investigation.
The court expressed its “dissatisfaction” with the content of the First Information Report filed at Manpur Police Station, Indore (Rural) against the minister’s offensive remarks about senior military Colonel Sophiya Qureshi.
The minister allegedly referred to Colonel Qureshi as the “sister of terrorists,” prompting “suo motu” judicial intervention to ensure the investigation is conducted fairly and impartially. During Thursday’s hearing, a division bench comprising Justice Atul Shridharan and Justice Anuradha Shukla strongly criticised the handling of the case, characterising the initial FIR as a “mere formality”.
The bench emphasised that essential legal provisions have not been included despite explicit instructions issued by the court on the previous day. Given the apparent deficiencies in the FIR, the court deemed judicial monitoring necessary to prevent undue influence or external pressure from compromising the integrity of the investigation. Justice Sridharan said that the hearing in this case will be held after summer vacations.
Meanwhile, the minister also approached the Supreme Court on Thursday to get an interim relief, but the Apex Court refused to entertain. On Wednesday, the High Court, exercising suo motu cognisance, condemned the statement made by Minister Shah, describing his remarks as highly objectionable and inappropriate. In its detailed eight-page order, the bench underscored the vital role of the Indian Army, recognising it as one of the nation’s last standing institutions that symbolise discipline, integrity, and sacrifice.
Consequently, the court directed the immediate registration of an FIR against the minister, warning that non-compliance would result in contempt proceedings against the Director General of Police. In response to the court’s directive, the police registered an FIR at Manpur Police Station in Mhow on Wednesday night at approximately 11:27 PM. During Thursday’s hearing, Advocate General Prashant Singh informed the court that the FIR had been formally recorded at 7.55 a.m. However, the court noted with concern that significant statutory provisions were omitted.
Justice Atul Shridharan pointed out that Sections 152, 196, and 197 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita, provisions addressing offences related to communal hatred and threats to national unity, had not been incorporated into the FIR despite clear instructions. In response to the Advocate General’s justification that the police were continuing their investigation, the court issued a sharp rebuke.
Justice Shridharan stated that the case does not pertain to a murder investigation but is an inquiry into a public speech, which should not require an extended investigative process. In a programme in Raikunda of Mhow (Ambedkarnagar), Vijay Shah made an incendiary comment, suggesting that Prime Minister Modi had sent a “sister” of those responsible for widowing Indian women in the Pahalgam terror attack to take revenge.
His statement, which referenced Operation Sindoor, was met with applause from the audience. Even though the minister did not mention the name of Col Qureshi, everyone could understand the reference and context.
