The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday reserved its verdict on a petition challenging a lower court’s refusal to register a First Information Report (FIR) against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The plea stems from controversial remarks Gandhi allegedly made in 2025 regarding the Indian state.
Justice Vikram D. Chauhan reserved the order after an extensive hearing involving counsels for the petitioner, Simran Gupta, and the state government.
The controversy centers on a statement Gandhi reportedly made during the inauguration of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) office in 2025. According to the petitioner, Gandhi stated, “We are now fighting the BJP, the RSS and the Indian state itself.”
Simran Gupta, the petitioner, argued that these remarks have caused widespread hurt to public sentiments across the nation. She further contended that the statement was not a mere political critique but a “seditious and anti-national” assertion made deliberately to destabilize the country.
The matter reached the High Court after a local court in Sambhal rejected Gupta’s initial application seeking the registration of an FIR against the Congress leader. Challenging that dismissal, the petitioner moved the High Court, seeking a directive for the police to initiate a criminal investigation.
During Wednesday’s proceedings, the court heard detailed arguments regarding whether the alleged speech constitutes a cognizable offense that warrants a formal investigation. While the petitioner’s counsel emphasized the potential for the remarks to incite unrest, the court also heard the stance of the state government on the maintainability and merits of the plea.
The High Court is expected to deliver its judgment on whether the Sambhal court was correct in its refusal or if a criminal case should be registered against the leader.
