New Delhi, January 19: The Supreme Court has directed the Madhya Pradesh government to decide within two weeks on granting sanction to prosecute Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah for his controversial remarks about Indian Army officer Colonel Sofiya Qureshi.

The remarks were made following a particular incident, which led to widespread outrage.

A court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) completed its probe but could not proceed due to the absence of a mandatory sanction under Section 196 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which covers offences promoting communal hatred.

The court criticized the state for delaying the decision since August 2025 and emphasized that the state must take immediate action.

The SIT’s report also highlighted other controversial statements by Shah, which will be probed separately.

The court also rejected Shah’s apology, deeming it too late, noting that an online apology was insufficient. Shah’s remarks had led to an FIR for promoting enmity, and he had earlier expressed regret, claiming respect for Col Qureshi. The case remains under scrutiny.