A Special MP/MLA Court in Lucknow on Wednesday dismissed a petition seeking the registration of an FIR against Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, in connection with allegations of holding dual citizenship.
Judge Alok Verma, who had earlier reserved the order on January 14, pronounced the verdict on Wednesday, holding that the court was not competent to decide the issue of citizenship.
The complaint was filed by S Vignesh Shishir, a BJP worker from Karnataka, who had urged the court to direct a probe and initiate legal proceedings against Gandhi. The petitioner alleged that Rahul Gandhi had concealed facts about his alleged citizenship of the United Kingdom and had committed offences under several statutes, including the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Official Secrets Act, the Foreigners Act, and the Passport Act.
The complainant specifically sought directions for a detailed investigation and registration of an FIR, claiming that the Congress leader’s alleged foreign links could pose a threat to national security.
The case was initially filed before the Special MP/MLA Court in Raebareli. However, on December 17, 2025, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court allowed a transfer petition filed by the complainant and ordered that the matter be shifted to Lucknow.
Despite the transfer and full hearing, the Special Court ultimately declined to entertain the complaint, limiting its role by stating that it lacked jurisdiction to rule on the issue of citizenship.
As of now, Rahul Gandhi or the Congress party has not officially commented on the court’s order. The dismissal of the complaint is seen as a temporary relief for the Congress leader ahead of the upcoming Budget Session of Parliament.
The question of Rahul Gandhi’s citizenship has been periodically raised by political opponents, particularly during election seasons, but no conclusive legal finding has been made on the matter to date.
