'Where Are The Allegations?' MP High Court Condemns Police For 'Casual' Drafting Of FIR Against Minister Vijay Shah

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Madhya Pradesh High Court condemned state police for the ‘casual’ approach towards filing of FIR against Tribal and Welfare Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah.

Justice Shreedharan noticed shortcomings in the FIR filed by the police and reprimanded the police. 

“Have you read the FIR? How has it been drafted? There are no ingredients. It has been drafted in such a manner that it can be quashed. Content must be there in FIR. The allegations must come out…FIR get quashed because it does not reflect ingredients. There is no description of what offence is, except for saying order dated so and so. That is why we draw our inferences. It (FIR) only says certain directions are given," Justice Sreedharan said.

Vijay Shah drew nationwide criticism for using communal and gendered slur against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi during a public address in Mhow. After this MP High Court bench, comprising Justices Atul Sreedharan and Anuradha Shukla, had initiated a suo motu case earlier and mandated the filing of an FIR by Wednesday evening.

High Court to monitor police’s probe

Additionally, the court expressed a lack of confidence in the police's ability to conduct a fair investigation and decided to monitor the probe into the FIR.

In its order, the court stated, “Under the circumstances, this Court feels compelled to ensure that it monitors the investigation without interfering with the independence of the investigation agency… In view of the nature of the case and the manner in which the FIR has been registered, it does not inspire confidence of the Court that if the case is not monitored, the Police would investigate fairly, in the interest of justice and in accordance with law."

This comes after the Supreme court rejected Vijay Shah’s plea for an interim relief from criminal proceedings against him. The Supreme Court, rather, directed the minister to ‘Go and apologise in the High Court.’