The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court strongly criticised a petition filed by BJP worker Vignesh Shishir seeking the registration of an FIR against Rahul Gandhi over allegations of holding British citizenship. The court expressed serious concern over the petitioner’s conduct, particularly his public statements and social media posts, which it said cast aspersions on the judiciary and undermined its dignity.
Justice Subhash Vidyarthi, who was hearing the matter, took strong exception to remarks made by Shishir outside the courtroom. The judge observed that the petitioner appeared to be using the legal proceedings for political gain rather than pursuing a genuine legal grievance. During the hearing, the court questioned the propriety of making allegations against the judiciary in public forums, stating that such actions effectively dragged the court into a political arena.
The bench also noted that Shishir had taken to social media to seek public opinion on whether the same bench should continue hearing the case and had even sought the intervention of the Chief Justice of India. The court viewed this as an attempt to influence judicial proceedings and damage institutional credibility. Both the government’s legal representative and the Deputy Solicitor General acknowledged before the court that the petitioner’s online conduct was indefensible.
Despite Shishir’s defence that his comments were directed at external pressures rather than the court itself, the bench rejected this explanation. Justice Vidyarthi made it clear that the judiciary does not require public praise or validation from litigants and that any grievances with court orders should be addressed through proper appellate channels rather than through public commentary.
In light of these developments, Justice Vidyarthi recused himself from the case, stepping aside from further proceedings. This came shortly after the bench had earlier indicated the possibility of issuing notice to Rahul Gandhi and had initially directed the registration of an FIR—an order that was subsequently put on hold before being formally signed, with the court noting that Gandhi should be given an opportunity to be heard.
The case itself stems from Shishir’s claim that he possesses documents and alleged correspondence with UK authorities that, according to him, prove Rahul Gandhi holds British citizenship. He argues that such a status would make Gandhi ineligible to contest elections or hold a seat in Parliament. However, with the judge’s recusal and the court’s strong observations on the petitioner’s conduct, the matter now faces procedural uncertainty and is likely to be reassigned for further consideration.
