HC reluctant to examine Centre’s records in Rahul case

Lucknow: Allahabad High Court has expressed reluctance to examine records produced by the central govt in connection with the alleged dual citizenship controversy involving Congress MP Rahul Gandhi.The matter was heard by the Lucknow Bench in the chamber on Monday after the Centre submitted that the issue was sensitive. The next hearing is on April 15.In its order uploaded on the court’s website on Tuesday, the bench of Justice Subhash Vidyarthi said, “This court does not propose to go into the correctness of allegations levelled against Gandhi in the present matter; the court has not examined the said records.”The order came on a petition filed by BJP worker S Vignesh Shishir, challenging a Jan 28 order of a special MP/MLA court in Lucknow, which rejected his plea seeking registration of an FIR against Gandhi. The lower court held that it was not competent to decide issues relating to citizenship.The petitioner, a resident of Karnataka, has sought registration of an FIR and a detailed probe, levelling allegations under provisions of the BNS, the Official Secrets Act, the Foreigners Act and the Passport Act.

During earlier hearings, the bench asked the Centre about action taken on a complaint alleging Gandhi’s British citizenship and summoned records from the Union home ministry. Although the records were produced, the court on Monday chose not to examine them.The complaint was initially filed before a special MP/MLA court in Rae Bareli. On Dec 17, 2025, the high court transferred the case to Lucknow.The complaint was initially filed before a special MP/MLA court in Rae Bareli. On December 17, 2025, the high court transferred the case to Lucknow.