Allahabad High Court Directs Inquiry Into Rahul Gandhi Citizenship Allegations
Court orders inquiry into Rahul Gandhi dual citizenship allegations case.
The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to initiate an inquiry, or have it conducted through a central agency, into allegations that Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi holds dual citizenship.
The court’s order came in response to a petition filed by S Vignesh Shishir, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker from Karnataka, who challenged a January 28 decision of a special MP/MLA court in Lucknow. That lower court had earlier rejected his plea seeking registration of an FIR against Rahul Gandhi, stating it was not competent to adjudicate matters related to citizenship.
In his petition, Shishir sought the filing of an FIR and a detailed investigation under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Official Secrets Act, the Foreigners Act, and the Passport Act. He alleged that he possessed documents and emails purportedly from the British government indicating that Rahul Gandhi is a British citizen, and argued that this would disqualify him from contesting elections or serving as a Member of Parliament in India.
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The case has seen multiple procedural developments, including an earlier transfer by the High Court from Rae Bareli to Lucknow. Following the Lucknow court’s dismissal of his plea, the petitioner approached the High Court again, prompting the latest direction for an inquiry by the state government or a central investigative agency.
The High Court’s observation that the allegations warrant inquiry does not constitute a determination on the merits of the citizenship claim, but it does open the door for further investigation into the matter. The court has effectively asked authorities to examine whether the claims require formal criminal investigation under applicable laws.
The issue of Rahul Gandhi’s alleged dual citizenship has been raised in the past in political and legal circles, though no Indian authority has conclusively established such a claim. The latest order is expected to intensify political debate, even as the investigation process proceeds under judicial supervision.
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