SC rejects apology, orders probe by SIT into MP minister's remarks

REJECTING HIS APOLOGY and calling it "only a pretence to wriggle out of the consequences", the Supreme Court on Monday directed that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) be set up to investigate the remarks made by Madhya Pradesh tribal affairs minister Kunwar Vijay Shah that were seen to be against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, who was part of the armed forces media briefings on Operation Sindoor.

- ANANTHAKRISHNAN G

"Having gone through the contents of the statement attributed to the petitioner, also the contents of the apology said to have been tendered by him, we are satisfied that subject FIR requires to be investigated by an SIT comprising three senior, directly recruited IPS officers of MP cadre but who do not belong the state," a bench of Justices Surya Kant and N K Singh said.

The SIT, comprising three IPS officers, including one female officer, shall be constituted before 10 am on Tuesday, the court said. It shall be headed by an officer not below the rank of IGP and both other members shall be of rank SP or above.

The court said "it is a litmus test" for the SIT. "We are not saying monitoring, but we will keep a close watch," it said, asking the SIT to submit its report to the court by May 28, when it will hear the matter again.