Raebareli: In a major legal development with potential political ramifications, the Special MP/MLA Court at Raebareli has admitted a case filed S Vignesh Shishir against Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. The case pertains to allegations concerning Gandhi’s alleged British citizenship and a series of offences purportedly linked to it.
According to the petitioner, the allegations involve violations under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Official Secrets Act, the Foreigners Act, and the Passport Act. The petition filed by Vignesh Shishir claims that the matter has not been adequately investigated so far, prompting the need for judicial intervention.
Upon admission of the petition, the Special Court directed the Kotwali Police Station under Rae Bareli district police to furnish a detailed status report on the investigation conducted till date regarding the alleged British citizenship matter. The court’s direction indicates a renewed focus on the claims that have periodically surfaced in political discourse but have not been formally examined at the judicial level in recent years.
The next hearing has been scheduled for December 5, 2025, when the police are expected to present their findings before the Special MP/MLA Court. Further proceedings will depend on the status report submitted and the subsequent arguments presented by both sides.
Recently petitioner Vignesh Shishir had filed a second appeal before the Central Information Commission (CIC) regarding the alleged British nationality of Rahul Gandhi. Shishir had sought disclosure of what he says are crucial documents related to the case — including a copy of Rahul Gandhi’s alleged British/UK passport, as well as official correspondences from the UK government to India’s Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
This appeal comes after Shishir’s previous attempts to obtain similar details through the RTI mechanism. In the past, he had submitted a formal complaint alleging that Rahul Gandhi held British citizenship, citing records from the UK’s Companies House linked to the now-dissolved firm Backops Ltd. His earlier petition had sought clarification from the government on whether the documents referenced at the time indicated dual citizenship, which is prohibited under Indian law.
