SC Pulls Up MP Govt over Delay; Minister Vijay Shah Likely to Face Trial in Special Court

Bhopal: The ruling BJP brass here is weighing option of registering FIR against Madhya Pradesh minister Kunwar Vijay Shah to try him in the MP, MLA special court over his disparaging remarks allegedly targeting Colonel Sofiya Qureshi in the wake of recent directive by the supreme court to the state to take a decision to sanction his prosecution in 15 days, a senior party functionary said on Wednesday.

The ruling party leader disclosed that the state government has already started consulting the legal luminaries to find out the way to deal with the issue in the light of the supreme court’s directive.

The Madhya Pradesh high court had earlier ordered the state government to file an FIR against the minister.

The minister had however moved the apex court challenging the directive by the Madhya Pradesh court, leading the supreme court to order the institution of a special investigation team to probe the matter.

The supreme court has in its order delivered a couple of days ago directed the state to take a decision to sanction his prosecution within 15 days, while pulling up the state government for delaying to act on the SIT report.

Sources disclosed to this newspaper that the ruling BJP leadership is still trying to find out ways to bail him out, but fears that there is little scope to shield the minister in the case after the supreme court’s observation.

The minister is a prominent tribal leader of the party and currently represents the Harsud Assembly seat (ST) in the state for the eighth time in a row.

Sources said that chief minister Mohan Yadav will take a decision on the matter after he returns from his visit to Davos where he has gone to attend the World Economic Forum meeting.

He is scheduled to return to Bhopal on January 23.