Lucknow: In a significant legal development, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has directed the registration of an FIR against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over allegations linked to dual citizenship, while also ordering that the probe be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Order Passed on Friday
The order was passed on Friday during the hearing of a petition challenging a lower court decision that had earlier declined to direct the filing of an FIR in the matter.
Appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government, counsel urged the court to have the case investigated by the CBI. The bench accepted the submission and directed that once the FIR is registered, the matter be transferred to the central agency for a detailed probe.
Home Ministry Places Records Before Court
The case is being examined at length by the Lucknow bench, with the Union Home Ministry formally placing its position before the court. The petitioner argued that an affidavit submitted in support of the plea is crucial and substantiates the allegations raised.
Justice Subhash Vidyarthi, who is hearing the matter, directed the Foreigners Division of the Home Ministry to place all relevant records on file. The ministry subsequently produced the documents related to the case.
Allegations of UK Voter Enrollment
Petitioner Vignesh Shishir claimed that the material submitted before the court suggests that Rahul Gandhi may have been enrolled as a voter in the United Kingdom, with records indicating participation in electoral processes there. The plea has been filed as a criminal application challenging the January 28, 2026 order of a special MP-MLA magistrate.
The lower court had refused to direct the Kotwali police station in Rae Bareli to lodge an FIR. The High Court has now overturned that decision and ordered that a case be registered.
The petition calls for action under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, along with alleged violations of the Official Secrets Act 1923, the Passport Act 1967 and the Foreigners Act 1946. The petitioner has maintained that the issue raises serious concerns related to citizenship and national security.
