Madhya Pradesh Cabinet to decide on prosecution sanction for Vijay Shah

The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet is expected to decide on Tuesday whether to grant prosecution sanction against Tribal Affairs Minister Vijay Shah. The decision follows controversial remarks made by Shah in May 2025 regarding Indian Army officer Colonel Sofiya Qureshi.

Shah’s comments, made during a public event in Mhow, were widely criticized for linking Colonel Qureshi to the community involved in the Pahalgam terror attack. The remarks led to widespread outrage, a suo motu cognisance by the Madhya Pradesh High Court, and the subsequent formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) by the Supreme Court.

The SIT has completed its inquiry and requested sanction to prosecute Shah under Section 196(1)(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Because government approval is mandatory to proceed against a public servant, the case has faced delays. The Supreme Court has repeatedly questioned the state government regarding this inaction. If the Cabinet approves the proposal, it will be forwarded to the Governor. The matter is scheduled for a Supreme Court hearing on August 31.