Bhopal, Aug. 26 -- The Madhya Pradesh government is unlikely to grant sanction for prosecuting minister Vijay Shah in the case related to his controversial remarks against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, two state government officials aware of the matter said on Tuesday. The decision was taken at a meeting of the state cabinet chaired by chief minister Mohan Yadav. An officer, requesting anonymity, said, "The state government is unlikely to sanction prosecution against Shah as he has already apologised four times in the matter. The government will now submit an affidavit before the Supreme Court on August 31. But the decision is not being made public as the matter is sub-judice." A second state government official confirmed the decision saying the issue was discussed after most officials were asked to leave the room. Public works department minister Rakesh Singh said the issue had been on the cabinet's agenda. But "no discussion was held on this issue," he said. Since the controversy erupted, the MP government has repeatedly delayed action against Shah. The SIT recorded his statement only once and has been awaiting prosecution sanction since January this year. The SIT submitted its report to the state government and informed the Supreme Court that they sought a sanction under Section 196 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, a mandatory step for the court to take cognizance. Shah's remarks, made during Operation Sindoor in May 2025, targeted Colonel Qureshi, who had briefed the media alongside Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. Shah had said, "Those who widowed our daughters, we sent a sister of their own to teach them a lesson. The country's honour and respect and the marital bliss of our sisters can be avenged by sending the sisters of your community to Pakistan." The Madhya Pradesh High Court ordered an FIR against Shah, while the Supreme Court constituted a SIT to probe the matter. Shah has since insisted he had not intented to insult any woman officer, the Army, or society. "Those words were uttered in the enthusiasm, excitement, and passion of patriotism. The sentiment behind the mistake should be considered," he said. But Chief Justice of India Surya Kant had earlier observed that repeated apologies were insufficient, saying it was "too late to tender any apology."...