Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Madhya Pradesh High Court has officially closed the case related to Minister Vijay Shah’s controversial remark about Indian Army officer Colonel Sophia Qureshi on Monday.
Though the matter is not over yet, it will now be heard in the Supreme Court on July 6, 2025.
According to information, the issue began on May 12, 2025, when Minister Shah, during a public meeting near Ambedkar Nagar, compared Colonel Qureshi to the sister of a terrorist.
His remark came shortly after “Operation Sindoor.” His statement caused massive public anger and criticism across the country.
On May 14, the Jabalpur High Court bench of Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Anuradha Shukla took suo motu (self-initiated) action, calling the statement dangerous for national unity and social harmony. Following the court’s order, an FIR was registered at Manpura police station in Indore under sections 152, 196(1)(B), and 197(1)(C) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023.
However, on May 15, the court questioned the fairness and language of the FIR, calling it vague and suspicious. The court said it could be dismissed easily in the first hearing. On the same day, amid growing criticism, Minister Shah released a 1-minute 13-second apology video.
On May 19, Shah moved to the Supreme Court against the High Court’s orders. The Supreme Court rejected his apology and ordered a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into the matter, but it also put a hold on his arrest.
On May 28, the Supreme Court reviewed the SIT’s early report and directed the Madhya Pradesh High Court to stop further hearings on the case as the investigation was still in its early stage.
Finally, on June 17, 2025, the Jabalpur High Court bench of Justice Vivek Agarwal and Justice Avnindra Kumar Singh closed the matter at their end, following the Supreme Court’s orders. The next hearing is scheduled for July 6, 2025, in the Supreme Court, where a detailed SIT report will be reviewed.
