A first information report was registered against Madhya Pradesh minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Vijay Shah at the Manpur police station in the Indore district on Wednesday night for his remarks purportedly targeting Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, PTI reported.

This came hours after the Madhya Pradesh High Court had directed Director General of Police Kailash Makwana to register a case against Shah.

Besides, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav also issued directions for action against Shah.

Speaking at an event in Mhow on Tuesday, Shah said that those who had widowed the daughters of India had been taught a lesson by Prime Minister Narendra Modi “by sending the sister from their own community”. The BJP leader repeated the remark immediately after saying it the first time.

While he did not name a person, Opposition parties had alleged that the minister was alluding to Qureshi, one of the official spokespersons during the foreign ministry and defence ministry’s media briefings relating to Operation Sindoor.

The FIR has been registered under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for endangering the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India [Section 152], an act having an adverse effect on mutual harmony between communities [Section 196(1)(b)] and for making statements about a member of a community that adversely affect communal harmony [Section 197(1)(c)], Live Law reported.

Earlier on Wednesday, the High Court bench of Justices Atul Sreedharan and Anuradha Shukla observed that Shah’s remarks referred to “none other but” Qureshi, reported Bar and Bench.

Shah issued a fresh apology on Wednesday saying he was “ashamed and saddened” by his comments.

“Our country's sister Sofiya Qureshi ji has worked rising above caste and society while fulfilling her national duty,” he added.

Earlier on Tuesday he said that his remark should not be viewed “in a different context”.

“I want to tell people that my speech is not in that context,” The Indian Express quoted him as saying. “They are our sisters, and they have taken revenge with great strength along with the armed forces.”

NDTV quoted him as having said: “Sister Sofiya has brought glory to India by rising above caste and religion. She is more respected than our own sister. I salute her for her service to the nation. We cannot even think of insulting her in our dreams.”

Shah said that he was ready to apologise “10 times” if his remark had hurt “society and religion”.

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