In a significant development, Madhya Pradesh Minister Vijay Shah has received continued interim relief from the Supreme Court in the case concerning his controversial remarks against Colonel Sophia Qureshi. The apex court, on Wednesday, closed the ongoing proceedings against Shah in the High Court and acknowledged the Special Investigation Team’s (SIT) initial report. This decision means that the High Court will no longer conduct parallel proceedings, ensuring that the Supreme Court retains full oversight of the case. The SIT has been granted additional time to continue its investigation, with the next hearing scheduled for the third week of July. This move by the Supreme Court underscores its intention to prevent any parallel proceedings and maintain a unified approach to the sensitive matter, especially after Shah had challenged the High Court’s strict stance on his controversial statement.

During the recent hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Madhya Pradesh government, informed the bench that the SIT had been formed and had commenced its investigation. He confirmed that Shah’s mobile phone had been seized and the initial investigation report submitted to the court in a sealed envelope, requesting more time for further inquiry. The Supreme Court acknowledged the DIG Police’s status report, which detailed the formation of the three-IPS-officer SIT and their investigation on May 21, including a visit to the scene and collection of evidence. The court noted that the speech script had been prepared, the mobile phone confiscated, and witness statements recorded, indicating the preliminary stage of the investigation. Consequently, the interim order preventing Vijay Shah’s arrest has been extended until the next hearing. The Supreme Court has firmly stated its refusal to allow any intervention applications, emphasizing its intent to avoid politicizing the issue, which stems from a video allegedly showing Shah making objectionable comments about Colonel Qureshi during a media briefing on “Operation Sindoor.”