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FIR against Rahul Gandhi ordered in British citizenship petition case
An FIR is being sought over allegations questioning Rahul Gandhi’s citizenship based on claims he declared himself a British citizen in a UK company.
The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court on Friday directed the state government to lodge a First Information Report (FIR) against Rahul Gandhi, the leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress MP from Rae Bareli, in connection with a petition regarding his citizenship.
The court of Justice Subhash Vidyarthi passed the final order while hearing Karnataka-based Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker S Vignesh Shishir’s petition seeking registration of the FIR against Rahul Gandhi due to alleged British citizenship.
Senior advocate SB Pandey, the assistant solicitor general of India who represented the Union government in court, said: “The high court has directed to lodge an FIR against Gandhi in the citizenship case.”
As the matter is related to the citizenship of a foreign country, central agencies may also probe the case, Pandey added.
Background of the petition
The petitioner had sought quashing of an order passed by the Special MP-MLA court in Lucknow on January 28, which had rejected a request to direct the authorities concerned to register an FIR against Gandhi.
While arguing on the plea, state government counsel VK Singh contended that cognizable offences are made out against Rahul Gandhi from the material available and the state government will investigate the case. The state government may also refer the probe by a central agency, if required, he said.
Singh also said the high court set aside an order of a Lucknow court which had refused to order an FIR against Gandhi.
While rejecting Shishir’s plea on January 28, the special MP-MLA Court (Lucknow) had stated that it did not have jurisdiction to decide on the citizenship issue. The petitioner sought registration of an FIR against Rahul Gandhi and a detailed investigation.
The complaint was initially filed in the Special MP-MLA Court in Rae Bareli. Later, on the complainant’s application, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court transferred the case from Rae Bareli to Lucknow on December 17, 2025.
The Lucknow special court dismissed the plea on January 28. The petitioner subsequently challenged this order in the high court.
Arguments in court
During the hearing of the case, the high court reviewed documents presented by the petitioner related to the alleged British citizenship of Rahul Gandhi.
The petitioner claimed that Rahul Gandhi had declared himself a British citizen in a company called ‘Backops Limited’ in the UK, raising questions about his Indian citizenship.
Claims raised in petition
The petitioner sought an FIR against Rahul Gandhi under several provisions, including Sections 3, 5 and 6 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923, Sections 12 & 13 of the Passports Act, 1967 and Section 14(B) and 14(C) of Foreigners Act, 1946 at Kotwali police station, Rae Bareli district, Uttar Pradesh.
Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, “It is a baseless allegations filed by a person with ill-intent against Rahul Gandhi. The allegations are politically motivated and won’t withstand legal scrutiny. We have not received any notice from the court.”
Anil Yadav, general secretary (Organisation), UPCC, said, “Rahul Gandhi is the Leader of the Opposition in the country. He possesses a parliamentary career spanning over two decades. He serves as the voice of social justice, the caste census and the Dalit and backward communities in the nation. From the streets to Parliament, he is fighting the battle on behalf of the country’s oppressed.”
