Allahabad High Court Refuses FIR Against Rahul Gandhi

The Allahabad High Court dismissed a petition seeking the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against Rahul Gandhi regarding comments he made about the Sikh community during a 2024 visit to the United States. The petitioner, Nageshwar Mishra, argued that Gandhi's questions about whether Sikhs could freely wear turbans and kadas or visit Gurdwaras were provocative and potentially useful to pro-Khalistan groups.

Justice Vikram D Chauhan ruled that Gandhi, as an elected representative, possesses the right to raise concerns for minority communities under the freedom of speech and expression guaranteed by Article 19 of the Constitution. The court determined that the remarks did not incite violence, disturb public order, or endanger the sovereignty of India.

The ruling upheld previous dismissals by courts in Varanasi. The high court noted that the allegations against Gandhi relied on newspaper reports that lacked specific dates, times, or locations, concluding that no order directing the registration of a case could be passed under such circumstances.