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.

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 (city),” said Qureshi, who is the state’s minister in charge of minority affairs and of the annual Haj pilgrimage which Muslims undertake to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

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.

Islamic teachings ban any depiction of the prophet.

Denmark last week agreed indefinitely to postpone an April 2 visit by Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen after New Delhi reportedly warned the trip could rekindle protests in India, home to 130 million Muslims.