British citizenship row: HC peruses record of MHA’s 2019 notice to Rahul Gandhi
The Allahabad High Court (Lucknow Bench) on Thursday perused the official records produced by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) concerning the notice issued to Congress leader and LoP in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, in 2019, seeking clarification regarding his nationality. The records were placed before a bench of Justice Rajeev Singh.
The previous order was passed on a petition filed by BJP Worker S Vignesh Shishir, appearing in person, who has challenged a January 28, 2026, order of a Lucknow Magistrate court that refused to direct the registration of an FIR against Gandhi over allegations concerning his British citizenship. In pursuance of the Court’s order, Under Secretary Vivek Mishra and Assistant Section Officer Pranav Rai of the MHA’s Foreigners’ Division Citizenship Wing appeared before the bench with the complete record related to the notice issued to Rahul on April 29, 2019, by the then Director (Citizenship).
After a perusal of the files, the High Court returned the original records to the Under Secretary. The Court also formally permitted the applicant to implead the Government of India as a party to the case and granted the Government Advocate time to file a reply by the next date of listing.
Union Home Ministry issued a show-cause notice to Rahul Gandhi on the complaint filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy. In his petition, Swamy produced the British Company Registry, where Rahul had floated a company in London, named as BackOps. In the annual filings of the company, Rahul declared him as British citizen and shown his London address as place of residence. The company was liquidated in 2009.
Swamy approached the Delhi High Court for non-action of the Union Home Ministry on his complaint. Home Ministry has not informed the status of the inquiry to HC on Rahul’s British Citizenship.
