Allahabad High Court directs probe into allegations against Rahul Gandhi, asks UP government to act
April 17, 2026: The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court on Friday directed that allegations of dual citizenship against Rahul Gandhi be examined, stating that the claims warrant a proper inquiry. The court asked the Uttar Pradesh government to either conduct the investigation itself or refer the matter to a central agency for further action.
The directive came in response to a petition filed by S Vignesh Shishir, a BJP worker, who challenged a January 28 order of a special MP/MLA court in Lucknow. The lower court had earlier dismissed his plea seeking registration of an FIR against Gandhi, observing that it lacked jurisdiction to decide matters related to citizenship.
In his petition, the complainant cited alleged documents and communications from UK authorities, claiming they indicate Gandhi holds British citizenship, which would make him ineligible to contest elections in India. The case, originally filed in Rae Bareli and later transferred to Lucknow by the high court in December 2025, will now proceed based on the outcome of the directed inquiry.