'Entire nation in shame': SC raps MP Min for Col Qureshi remark, orders SIT probe

While rejecting Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah's apology over his derogatory and communal remarks for a woman Army officer, the Supreme Court ordered that a new three-member team of IPS officers would now probe the case against him.

- VINAY KUMAR

The court rebuked the minister again for his "crass comments," with Justice Surya Kant asserting he did not offer a sincere apology. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh, which rejected his apology, left the minister to "redeem himself" for his utterances, saying his apology was only an attempt to wriggle out of the legal consequences.

"What is that apology? What kind of apology have you tendered? There is some meaning of apology. Sometimes people use docile language only to wriggle out of proceedings, and sometimes they shed crocodile tears. What kind of apology is yours? You want to give the impression that the court had asked you to apologize. What prevented you from making a sincere apology for your crass comments till now?" said Justice Surya Kant.

The judge said the minister should have been sensible since it was an "emotive issue" for the armed forces.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT), comprising three IPS officers, should be formed by Tuesday morning to investigate the case against the minister, the court said, adding that it must have a woman officer and submit its report by May 28.