In a significant legal development, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has ordered the transfer of a criminal complaint case against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi from Rae Bareli to Lucknow. The order was passed on Wednesday by a bench headed by Justice BR Singh.
Petitioner Cites Security Threats in Rae Bareli
The transfer plea was filed by S Vignesh Shishir, a BJP worker hailing from Karnataka. Shishir is the original complainant who had initiated the criminal case against Rahul Gandhi before the Special MP/MLA court in Rae Bareli. In his petition to the High Court, Shishir expressed grave apprehensions about his safety.
He contended that whenever he travels to Rae Bareli for the court proceedings, he faces life-threatening risks. The petition argued that the local conditions in Rae Bareli were not conducive for a fair and impartial hearing of the case. Citing these security reasons, the petitioner sought the intervention of the High Court to move the case to a different location.
Allegations Under Multiple Acts
The criminal complaint at the heart of this transfer involves serious allegations against the former Congress president. The case has been filed under several stringent laws of the land. The key statutes invoked include:
- The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)
- The Official Secrets Act
- The Foreigners Act
- The Passport Act
The core of the controversy revolves around allegations concerning Rahul Gandhi's citizenship. The complainant has leveled accusations related to his purported British citizenship, which form the basis for the charges under the aforementioned acts.
Court's Decision and Future Proceedings
After a thorough hearing of the petitioner's arguments, Justice BR Singh's bench accepted the plea concerning the security threat. The court found merit in the argument that a fair trial could be compromised under the cited circumstances.
Consequently, the bench issued a formal order directing the transfer of the criminal complaint case from the Special MP/MLA court in Rae Bareli to an appropriate court in Lucknow. This move is expected to ensure the safety of the petitioner and pave the way for an unimpeded judicial process.
This order marks a pivotal step in a case that has attracted considerable political and public attention. The transfer to Lucknow, the state capital, is likely to bring the proceedings under closer scrutiny. The next steps will involve the Lucknow court taking cognizance of the case and scheduling hearings on the substantive allegations made against the senior Congress leader.
