ED Summons Karnataka BJP Worker Who Claims Rahul Gandhi Holds British Citizenship

Last Updated:September 07, 2025, 05:10 IST

The ED is investigating the matter under the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA)

Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party have consistently denied these claims, branding them as politically motivated attempts to discredit him. File pic/PTI

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued a summons to S Vignesh Shishir, a Bharatiya Janata Party worker from Karnataka, in connection with his ongoing petition in the Allahabad High Court. Shishir had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) alleging that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi holds British citizenship, making him ineligible to be a Member of Parliament.

Sources said Shishir has been asked to depose before the probe agency in New Delhi on September 9. He is required to present all the evidence and documents he has on the case, as the ED is investigating the matter under the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). The agency is reportedly interested in whether any financial transactions or undeclared income from abroad are connected to the allegations.

This is not the first time the issue of Rahul Gandhi’s citizenship has been raised. A similar complaint was made in 2019 by then-Rajya Sabha member Subramanian Swamy, who alleged that Gandhi had declared himself a British citizen in the documents of a UK-based company, Backops Limited. Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party have consistently denied these claims, branding them as politically motivated attempts to discredit him.

Shishir’s petition in the Allahabad High Court, however, has added a new dimension to the controversy. During a recent hearing, the court ordered round-the-clock security for the petitioner, observing that he was pursuing a case against a “very powerful individual" and was facing constant threats. The court has also asked the central government to seek information from the UK government on the matter. 

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News politics ED Summons Karnataka BJP Worker Who Claims Rahul Gandhi Holds British Citizenship

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