'Entire nation in shame': SC orders SIT probe against MP min
'Entire nation in shame': SC orders SIT probe against MP minister over remarks on Col Sofiya Qureshi
The Supreme Court on Monday pulled up Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah for his remarks on Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and constituted a special investigation team to probe
NEW DELHI — The Supreme Court on Monday pulled up Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay
Shah for his remarks on Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and constituted a three-member
special investigation team to probe the FIR lodged against him.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh told
the minister that it had seen his videos where he made the remarks and his
apology and wondered if “they were crocodile tears or an attempt to wriggle out
of the legal proceedings”.
“The entire nation was in shame due to the comments... We
saw your videos , you were on the verge of using very filthy language but
somehow better sense prevailed or you did not find suitable words. You should
be shameful. Entire country is proud of our Army and you made this statement,”
Justice Surya Kant said.
The bench further grilled the minister, “What kind of
apology was this? You should have simply admitted your mistake and apologised
but you say if you have said this and that…then I apologise. This is not the
way to seek apology. The kind of crass comments you made, you should be
shameful."
Shah was represented by senior advocates Maninder Singh
and Vibha Dutt Makhija
The top court asked the Madhya Pradesh director general
of police to constitute a three-member special investigation team (SIT) headed
by an IG rank officer by Tuesday 10 am also comprising a woman officer to probe
the FIR registered following an order of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
The first state report by the SIT, the bench said, should
be filed by May 28.
Being a public representative the minister ought to have
led by an example and used every single word sensibly, the court further
remarked.
After drawing severe criticism for his comments made on
May 12, the BJP minister said he was ready to apologise 10 times if his
statement had hurt anyone and he respected Col Qureshi more than his sister.
An FIR was registered against Shah in Indore district later
on May 14 following the high court's order.
The FIR was registered under Sections 152 (acts
endangering the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India), 196 (1)(b)
(promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race,
language, or other similar characteristics) and 197(1)(c) (statement or action
that causes or is likely to cause disharmony, enmity, or hatred between
different groups) of the BNS.
