In a massive setback for Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, the Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court today directed the lodging of a First Information Report (FIR) and investigation against him in connection with a BJP Worker’s petition over his alleged British Citizenship.
A single-judge bench comprising Justice Subhash Vidyarthi set aside an earlier order of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Court in Lucknow, which had in January this year refused to direct the lodging of an FIR against Gandhi. The court ordered the Kotwali Police Station in Rae Bareli District of Uttar Pradesh to register the a First Information Report.
The directive came on a petition filed by Karnataka BJP worker Vignesh Shishir, who had approached the High Court challenging the ACJM’s refusal to register a criminal case. The petitioner alleged that Rahul Gandhi had held British citizenship while contesting Indian elections, in violation of Indian laws.
According to the petition, Gandhi incorporated a UK-based company, M/S Backops Ltd., in August 2003. In the company’s annual returns submitted in October 2005 and October 2006, he reportedly listed his nationality as British and provided a Director Identification Number along with addresses in London and Hampshire. The company was later dissolved in February 2009 after a dissolution application was filed.
The plea further claimed that the Congress leader had disclosed ownership of the company and a foreign bank account with Barclays Bank, London Branch, in his affidavit while contesting the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. The complaint seeks registration of an FIR against Rahul Gandhi under sections 318, 335, 340, 236, 237, 61, 148, 147, 152, 238, 336(3) and 351 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The petition also cites sections 3, 5 and 6 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923, sections 12 and 13 of the Passports Act, 1967, and sections 14(B) and 14(C) of the Foreigners Act, 1946.
The High Court’s order to register the FIR marks a fresh legal challenge for the Congress leader, who has faced multiple cases on the matter in the past, including initiatives by Subramaniam Swamy, but has maintained that he is an Indian citizen.
In a post on X, petitioner Shishir thanked the high court for the order and described the judgment as “landmark” and “historic.”
In a Land Mark and Historic Judgement The Hon'ble Allahabad High Court at Lucknow Bench has allowed my Petition and Ordered & Directed the Kotwali Police Station, Rae Bareli District, Uttar Pradesh to Register a First Information Report Against Shri. Rahul Gandhi, Member of…
— VIGNESH SHISHIR (@VIGNESHBJP_KTK) April 17, 2026
Last month, Allahabad High Court’s Lucknow bench had directed the central government to produce records related to the complaint alleging that Rahul Gandhi holds British citizenship. A bench of Justice Rajeev Singh ordered the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to place the entire file relating to the controversy before the court.
