Legal Action Initiated Against Rahul Gandhi Over Dual Citizenship Allegations
Court Orders Case Against Rahul Gandhi
In Lucknow, a case is set to be filed against Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress MP from Raebareli. The Allahabad High Court's Lucknow bench has directed the registration of a case concerning allegations of dual citizenship against him.
The petition regarding dual citizenship was submitted by Karnataka's S. Vignesh Shishir, who claimed that Rahul Gandhi has been a voter in the United Kingdom. Justice Subhash Vidyarthi ordered the filing of an FIR based on this petition.
The Allahabad High Court's directive to register a case against Rahul Gandhi follows a petition from BJP worker S. Vignesh Shishir, challenging a January 28 order from the MP/MLA court in Lucknow, which had dismissed Shishir's request to file a case against the Congress leader. The lower court had ruled that it lacked jurisdiction over citizenship-related matters.
Today, the Allahabad High Court stated that the allegations of dual citizenship against Rahul Gandhi warrant investigation. The court instructed the Yogi Adityanath government to either conduct the investigation themselves or assign it to a central agency. It also clarified that once the FIR is registered, the state government may opt for a central investigative agency to handle the case.
Background and Court Proceedings
This controversy initially arose in a special court in Raebareli, which did not issue a decision. The case was subsequently transferred to the Lucknow MP-MLA court, where the request for an FIR was rejected. The High Court has now ruled on this matter. At the request of the petitioner, the High Court transferred the case from Raebareli to Lucknow on December 17, 2025. Following this, the special MP-MLA court in Lucknow dismissed the petition for filing an FIR on January 28, 2026, stating that it did not have the jurisdiction to decide on citizenship disputes.
Intervention by the High Court
The petitioner challenged the special court's decision in the High Court. The petitioner, reportedly affiliated with the BJP, has made serious allegations against Rahul Gandhi under the Indian Penal Code, the Official Secrets Act, the Foreigners Act, and the Passport Act, demanding a thorough investigation. The High Court has now overturned the lower court's order and directed the registration of an FIR.
The petitioner, S. Vignesh Shishir from Karnataka, is seeking the filing of a case and a detailed investigation. He has alleged violations under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Official Secrets Act, the Foreigners Act, and the Passport Act. The petitioner claims to possess documents and emails from the British government that allegedly prove Rahul Gandhi's British citizenship. Based on this, he argues that Gandhi is ineligible to contest elections in India and cannot hold the position of a Lok Sabha member.
This complaint was initially filed in a special court in Raebareli. The Allahabad High Court transferred the case to Lucknow on December 17, 2025. Following the dismissal of the petition by the Lucknow court, the petitioner approached the Lucknow bench of the High Court.