Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has faced a major setback after the Allahabad High Court issued key directions over allegations that he holds British citizenship. The court observed that there is a need to ascertain the truth behind the claims and ordered that the matter be investigated.
The High Court directed the Uttar Pradesh government to either conduct a detailed inquiry or hand over the case to a central investigating agency. It also made it clear that an FIR must be registered in connection with the allegations, emphasizing the seriousness of the issue.
The case stems from a complaint filed by BJP worker Vignesh Shishir in an MP/MLA court in Lucknow. He alleged that Rahul Gandhi had set up a company in the United Kingdom and had declared himself a British citizen at the time. However, the lower court dismissed the complaint earlier, citing lack of jurisdiction over citizenship-related matters.
Challenging the lower court’s decision, the complainant approached the High Court. The Lucknow Bench, after hearing the matter, noted that allegations concerning citizenship are of a serious nature and require legal verification. It subsequently directed the authorities to take appropriate steps and conduct a comprehensive investigation.