MP Police sets up SIT to probe BJP leader Vijay Shah's remarks on Col Sofiya Qureshi. Know the three IPS officers

Madhya Pradesh police has constituted a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) in compliance with the Supreme Court's order to probe state minister Vijay Shah’s remarks regarding Indian Army officer Colonel Sofiya Qureshi.

The three members of the SIT are Inspector General of Police, Sagar Zone Pramod Verma, Deputy Inspector General Kalyan Chakravarty, Special Armed Forces and Superintendent of Police, Dindori, Vahini Singh.

Madhya Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Kailash Makwana issued the order to form the SIT, ensuring compliance with the court's orders.

The Supreme Court of India (SC) had on May 19 the Supreme Court criticised Shah for his ‘crass’ remarks on Col Sofia Qureshi and instructed the Madhya Pradesh Director General of Police to form an SIT by 10:00 AM on Tuesday, 20 May.

Senior IPS officer Pramod Verma is currently posted as Inspector General (IG) Sagar range, Kalyan Chakravarty is Deputy Inspector General (DIG) SAF, Bhopal, and Vahini Singh serves as SP in Dindori.

SC refuses to accept Vijay Shah's apology

The apex court also refused to accept theapologysubmitted by the minister. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh told Shah that it had seen video where he made the remarks and his apology statement, and called the latter “crocodile tears”, PTI reported.

What did Vijay Shah say?

MP Tribal Affairs Minister Vijay Shah had on May 12 purportedly termed Col Qureshi, a “sister of terrorists”, during his public speech on the Indian Army operations against Pakistan.

An FIR was registered against Shah in Indore district later on May 14 following an order from the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

The FIR was registered under Sections 152 (acts endangering the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India), 196 (1)(b) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, language, or other similar characteristics) and 197(1)(c) (statement or action that causes or is likely to cause disharmony, enmity, or hatred between different groups) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS).

(With inputs from Agencies)