Blurb: Ashok Gehlot criticises High Court directive for FIR against Rahul Gandhi, calling allegations baseless and questioning the need for fresh inquiry despite earlier dismissals

Jaipur

Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday criticised the Allahabad High Court’s order to file an FIR against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in an alleged dual citizenship case, calling it surprising and unwarranted. He said the directive places an unnecessary burden on the executive despite earlier court rulings dismissing similar claims.

Gehlot pointed out that such petitions were rejected by the Allahabad High Court in July 2025 and also by the Supreme Court in 2019. He questioned the need for a fresh probe into what he described as baseless allegations regarding British citizenship.

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on Friday ordered the filing of an FIR based on a petition by a BJP worker, S Vignesh Shishir from Karnataka. The petitioner claimed Rahul Gandhi held British citizenship and had incorporated a company, M/S Backops Ltd, registered in August 2003. He also alleged that Gandhi declared himself a British national and provided London and Hampshire addresses.

The complaint was first filed in a special MP/MLA court in Rae Bareli. Later, it was transferred to a similar court in Lucknow, which dismissed the plea on January 28. The petitioner then moved the high court, leading to the latest order.

Defending Gandhi, Gehlot highlighted his family’s contributions to the nation. He said Rahul Gandhi’s father Rajiv Gandhi and grandmother Indira Gandhi sacrificed their lives for the country, while Jawaharlal Nehru spent years in jail during the freedom struggle. Gehlot added that Rahul Gandhi has worked to promote unity and harmony, making the action against him unfortunate.