MP govt. yet to give sanction to prosecute Minister for remarks against woman Army officer
The Supreme Court of India has criticized the Madhya Pradesh government for failing to grant prosecution sanction against Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah. The Minister is accused of making derogatory remarks about a female Army officer, and the court has ordered the state to comply with previous directives.
Why it matters
This case highlights the intersection of political accountability and the judicial process regarding derogatory conduct by public officials.
The Supreme Court on Monday (August 31, 2026) recorded that the State of Madhya Pradesh is yet to grant sanction for the prosecution of its Minister, Kunwar Vijay Shah, who is accused of making derogatory remarks about Colonel Sofiya Qureshi , the Army officer who briefed the media during ‘Operation Sindhoor’.
In May, the State government had argued that Mr. Shah had possibly intended to “praise” Colonel Qureshi but could not articulate his admiration suitably .
On Monday, the State’s DIG Intelligence appeared before a three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and informed the court that the investigation against Mr. Shah had been completed and the report submitted in a sealed cover, awaiting State sanction for prosecution.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in