The Allahabad High Court heard a petition challenging Rahul Gandhi’s citizenship, directing inclusion of the Centre. Citing confidential Ministry of Home Affairs records, the judge held in-camera proceedings and reviewed submitted documents.
PRAYAGRAJ: The Allahabad High Court considered a petition challenging Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s citizenship and directed the petitioner to add the Centre as a party to the case. At the start of proceedings, senior advocate S B Pandey, appearing for the Centre, asked that the hearing be held outside open court because the home ministry documents provided were “of a highly-confidential nature.”
Justice Rajiv Singh acceded to this request and heard the matter in his chamber.
Afterward, the Lucknow bench directed under secretary Vivek Mishra and Assistant Section Officer Pranav Rai from the home ministry to appear with the pertinent records. The court examined those records and returned them to the under secretary.
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The bench permitted petitioner S Vignesh Shishir to implead the Centre but denied his plea to list the matter as “part heard,” noting that the case remains at the admission stage.
The next hearing is scheduled for April 6.
Shishir, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker from Karnataka, filed the petition challenging the January 28 order of the Special MP-MLA Court in Lucknow, which had dismissed his application seeking an FIR against the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha.
He has sought registration of an FIR against Gandhi and a thorough probe, alleging multiple serious offences against the Congress leader under various legal provisions.
Earlier, the Special MP/MLA Court in Lucknow has concluded hearings in the controversial dual citizenship case involving Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. The court has reserved its verdict and fixed January 28 as the date for the pronouncement of the order.
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The case is being heard by Special Judge Alok Verma, who may decide whether to order registration of an FIR and a detailed investigation into the allegations raised against the former Congress president.
Background: Rahul Gandhi’s Dual Citizenship Case
The case originates from a complaint filed by S. Vignesh Shishir, a BJP worker from Karnataka. The petitioner has alleged that Rahul Gandhi holds British citizenship, which would make him ineligible to retain Indian citizenship under Indian law.
According to the complainant, documents and email communications purportedly belonging to the British government indicate that Rahul Gandhi was listed as a British citizen. Shishir claims that these documents were placed on record before the court.
Legal Provisions Invoked Against Rahul Gandhi
The petitioner has urged the court to order the registration of an FIR against Rahul Gandhi and to direct a comprehensive investigation into the alleged dual citizenship matter. Along with seeking a probe, the complainant has also requested revocation of Gandhi’s Indian citizenship, claiming that holding foreign citizenship would attract serious legal consequences.
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The plea alleges violations under several statutory provisions, including sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Official Secrets Act, 1923, the Foreigners Act, and the Passport Act.
The court reportedly took on record 45 annexures, several documents, and a sealed envelope submitted by the complainant.
Initially, the complaint was filed in the Special MP/MLA Court in Rae Bareli, which is also Rahul Gandhi’s parliamentary constituency. However, the matter was later transferred to Lucknow following an order of the Allahabad High Court.
The transfer was granted after the petitioner expressed apprehension of a threat to his life in Rae Bareli. The High Court directed that the case be heard in Lucknow to ensure fairness and safety.
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