The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court on Friday (17 April ) directed police to register an FIR against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over allegations that he holds British citizenship.
Background of the Case
The order came in a petition filed by Karnataka-based complainant S. Vignesh Shishir. He challenged a January 28 decision of a special MP/MLA court in Lucknow, which had refused to order an FIR, stating that citizenship issues were beyond its jurisdiction.
Read also:- J&K High Court Quashes 498A FIR, Says Vague Dowry Allegations Cannot Sustain Criminal Trial
Before the High Court, the petitioner claimed to possess documents from the United Kingdom suggesting Gandhi declared himself as a British national in connection with a company incorporated abroad. He also alleged that disclosures in company filings and election documents raised questions about nationality.
Hearing the matter, Justice Subhash Vidyarthi found that the allegations required proper investigation.
“The material placed on record warrants an inquiry in accordance with law,” the bench observed, indicating that the claims could not be dismissed at the threshold stage.
Read also:- J&K High Court Upholds Notional Seniority, Old Pension for Engineer Wrongly Denied Appointment
The Court also noted that investigative authorities are competent to examine such allegations and determine their authenticity through due process.
Setting aside the lower court’s order, the High Court directed the concerned police station in Rae Bareli to register an FIR and proceed with the investigation. It further allowed authorities to involve a central agency if necessary.
The matter will now move into the investigative stage, as per law.
Case Title: S. Vignesh Shishir vs. Sri Rahul Gandhi And 3 Others
