The Allahabad High Court has reserved its verdict following a hearing on a petition submitted by Rahul Gandhi, a Member of Parliament and the Leader of the Opposition. The petition challenged an earlier ruling made by the Special Judge of the MP-MLA Court in Varanasi.
After reviewing Gandhi’s revision petition, Justice Samir Jain decided to reserve judgment. It was also stipulated that the Special Judge’s (MP-MLA Court) order would be suspended until the final decision is announced.
Gandhi’s move to the HC was in response to the MP-MLA court’s directive. The Special Judge had forwarded a request concerning the filing of an FIR against Rahul Gandhi to the ACJM Court for a renewed hearing. This action spurred the Congress leader to seek legal recourse at the Allahabad High Court. The matter revolves around comments made by Gandhi in the United States in 2024, concerning the Sikh community.
A Varanasi resident, Nageshwar Mishra, had initially filed an application with the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (MP-MLA) in Varanasi. This application sought an FIR against Rahul Gandhi. However, after reviewing the case on November 28 of the previous year, the court dismissed the application, citing the speech’s origin in the US as being beyond its jurisdiction.
Mishra then challenged the dismissal through a revision court, which accepted his petition and instructed the ACJM Court to reconsider the case.
The crux of the matter stems from a September event. At this event in the US, Rahul Gandhi purportedly expressed concerns about the well-being of Sikhs in India. His remarks drew significant criticism, being perceived as provocative and divisive.
Mishra attempted to lodge an FIR against Gandhi at a police station in Varanasi but was unsuccessful. He then filed a formal application with the court, requesting the filing of an FIR. The judicial magistrate ultimately rejected this application, stating the issue was outside their jurisdiction due to the location of the original speech.
Following the rejection, Mishra filed a revision petition in the Sessions Court, which was approved on July 21 of the current year. In response, Rahul Gandhi filed a revision petition with the Allahabad High Court, arguing that the Varanasi court’s decision was flawed, unlawful, and exceeded its jurisdictional boundaries.