India, May 19 -- The Supreme Court on Monday rejected Madhya Pradesh minister Kunwar Vijay Shah's apology for his "crass" comments about Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, the army's key spokesperson on the armed action on terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), and directed the state police to set up a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the episode.

A bench of justices Surya Kant and N Kotishwar Singh said Shah's apology appeared to be a mere attempt to "wriggle out of the situation" that he had landed himself in.

The SIT, the bench ordered the Madhya Pradesh director general of police (DGP), should be set up by May 20, Tuesday, and comprise three senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers including a woman officer...