Madhya Pradesh government refuses sanction to prosecute minister over Sofiya Qureshi remarks

The Madhya Pradesh cabinet, under Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, voted on Aug 25 to deny sanction for prosecuting senior minister Kunwar Vijay Shah over his remarks about Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, a figure known from Operation Sindoor briefings. Governor Mangubhai Patel endorsed the cabinet’s decision, after which the government drafted a five-point reply to be submitted to the Supreme Court. The reply notes that no formal complaint has been lodged, that Shah never identified the colonel, and that he issued multiple apologies, asserting no intent to offend.

Additional solicitor general K M Nataraj told a Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant that the Special Investigation Team has completed its probe and will file a chargesheet once sanction is granted. Earlier, the Madhya Pradesh High Court had ordered an FIR for promoting enmity, and the Supreme Court later stayed those proceedings while reviewing the case. Shah has expressed regret and repeatedly apologized for his comments.