NEW DELHI, March 20: An Indian court on Monday rejected demands for action against a minister who put a bounty of 11.5 million dollars on the heads of Danish cartoonists who drew the controversial images of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

A three-judge Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice Y. K. Sabharwal, described as ‘unfortunate’ the offer made by Mohammed Yaqoob Qureshi, a minister in the Uttar Pradesh state government, last month.

The court, however, said it cannot ‘entertain’ such appeals and suggested the petitioner, Vijay Kumar Tiwari, register a criminal complaint with the police against the firebrand Muslim politician.

Mr Qureshi told a Muslim rally after Friday prayers last month that he would give ‘the avenger’ 510 million rupees (11.5 million dollars) and his weight in gold.

“The money will be paid by the people of Meerut,” said Mr Qureshi, who is the state’s minister in charge of Haj and minority affairs.

The cartoons, drawn by 12 artists, were first published in Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten in September and later reprinted in a number of other mainly European dailies. They sparked Muslim protests worldwide. —AFP