Col. Sofiya Qureshi Controversy: Vijay Shah’s Case Reaches Supreme Court

New Delhi: In a high-stakes legal development, the Supreme Court of India is scheduled to hear today the plea of Madhya Pradesh Tribal Affairs Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah, who is challenging a Madhya Pradesh High Court order initiating suo motu contempt proceedings and directing the registration of an FIR against him.

Why Vijay Shah Approached the Supreme Court

The minister moved the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the FIR ordered by the Madhya Pradesh High Court over controversial remarks he made about Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, the Indian Army officer who led media briefings during Operation Sindoor. The High Court took suo motu cognisance of the comments, terming them communal and derogatory.

Shah’s legal counsel, Senior Advocate Vibha Dutta Makhija, argued that the remarks were over-hyped by the media and that Shah was not given a chance to be heard before the High Court’s directive to the police.

CJI Gavai Criticizes Minister’s Conduct

During a preliminary hearing on Thursday, Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai strongly criticized the minister’s statements, remarking:

“A person holding a Constitutional office is expected to exercise a degree of restraint. Every sentence uttered by a Minister must be with a sense of responsibility.”

The Supreme Court questioned why Shah did not pursue his defense in the High Court, instead of approaching the apex court directly.

Also Read: Telangana Sanctions ₹12,600 Crore for ST Farmers Under ‘Indira Soura Giri Jala Vikasam’ Scheme

What Did Vijay Shah Say?

Vijay Shah courted controversy by stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent a “sister from the same community” as Pakistanis to avenge the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. This statement was interpreted as referring to Colonel Sofiya Qureshi as a “sister of terrorists”, sparking national outrage.

“Those who widowed our daughters (in Pahalgam), we sent a sister of their own to teach them a lesson,” Shah had said.

High Court’s Stand and FIR Directive

On May 15, a bench led by Justices Atul Sreedharan and Anuradha Shukla of the Madhya Pradesh High Court ordered the DGP to file a criminal case against Shah within four hours, warning of contempt in case of delay.

The bench observed that the minister’s remarks prima facie promoted enmity between communities and hurt religious sentiments, especially of the Muslim community, due to his reference to Col. Qureshi’s identity.

Minister Issues Public Apology

In response to the backlash, Vijay Shah issued a public apology on social media platform X, stating:

“I, Vijay Shah, am not only ashamed and saddened by my recent statement… but I also apologise from the bottom of my heart. Our country’s sister Sofiya Qureshi ji has worked rising above caste and society while fulfilling her national duty.”

What’s Next?

The Supreme Court has scheduled the hearing for May 16, 2025, and has advised Shah’s lawyers to inform the High Court of the apex court’s intervention. The outcome could set a precedent for judicial oversight over ministerial speech in sensitive national contexts.