Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh) [India], May 14 (ANI): Madhya Pradesh High Court has taken a suo moto action against state cabinet minister Kunwar Vijay Shah over his objectionable remark on Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, directing the Director General of Police (DGP) to lodge an immediate FIR against the minister by this evening.

A division bench of Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Anuradha Shukla heard the matter on Wednesday and ordered that an immediate FIR should be registered against Minister Vijay Shah for offences under Sections 152, 196(1)(b) and 197(1)(c) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sahita (BNS).

The Court further said that if the FIR is not registered by Wednesday evening, the Court may contemplate proceeding against the Director General of Police of the State for contempt of the order.

'The statement made by Minister Vijay Shah prima facie has the propensity to cause disharmony and feelings of enmity or hatred or ill-will between the members of the Muslim faith and other persons who do not belong to the same religion,' the court observed as stated in the order copy.

'On the basis of what has been observed, this Court directs the Director General of Police of Madhya Pradesh to register forthwith an FIR against Minister Vijay Shah for offences under Sections 152, 196(1)(b) and 197(1)(c) of the B.N.S. The same must be done by today evening, failing which tomorrow, when the matter is listed, the Court may contemplate proceeding against the Director General of Police of the State for contempt of this Order,' the order copy read.

The Court also directed the AG Office to transmit the order forthwith to the Office of the Director General of Police of the State and ensure that it is done.

The next hearing into the matter is scheduled for tomorrow and the court directed to list the case on the top of the list. (ANI)