Rahul Gandhi, a Member of Parliament, has contested an order from the special judge (MP-MLA) court in Varanasi by approaching the Allahabad High Court. The lower court had forwarded an appeal concerning the filing of an FIR against Gandhi to the ACJM court. The basis for this case is a 2024 statement made by Rahul Gandhi in the United States regarding Sikhs.
The case is set to be heard today by a bench presided over by Justice Samir Jain. A Varanasi resident, Nageshwar Mishra, had previously submitted an application to the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (MP-MLA) of Varanasi, which was dismissed on November 28, 2024. The application sought an FIR against Rahul Gandhi.
The court had determined that the issue fell outside its jurisdiction due to the speech being delivered in America. Following the dismissal, Rao contested the decision in the revision court, which then accepted the petition and instructed the ACJM to rehear the case.
The context of this case relates to September 2024. During an event in America, Rahul Gandhi reportedly made a statement suggesting that the environment in India was not conducive for Sikhs. This statement drew criticism and was labeled as inflammatory and divisive.
Nageshwar Mishra, residing in Varanasi, attempted to initiate an FIR at the Sarnath police station in Varanasi. When this attempt was unsuccessful, he filed an application in court to compel an FIR against Rahul Gandhi. The judicial magistrate rejected the application on November 28, 2024, citing the lack of jurisdiction as the speech originated in America.
Subsequently, a revision petition was filed by Nageshwar Mishra in the sessions court, which was granted on July 21, 2025. In response, Rahul Gandhi has now filed a revision petition in the Allahabad High Court, arguing that the Varanasi court’s order is erroneous, unlawful, and exceeded its authority.