Rahul Gandhi, a prominent leader of the opposition, has approached the Supreme Court of India to contest several orders issued by the Allahabad High Court. These orders relate to a petition claiming that Gandhi’s assets significantly exceed his declared sources of income. The matter is scheduled for hearing on August 17 before a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana.
In addition to challenging the High Court’s decisions, Gandhi has filed a separate transfer petition. This legal maneuver aims to relocate the proceedings to a different jurisdiction, potentially seeking a more favorable outcome.
Previously, in May, the Allahabad High Court mandated the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to investigate the allegations put forth by S Vignesh Shishir, a BJP worker. Shishir had requested a probe into Gandhi and several family members. However, in a subsequent order dated July 20, the High Court expressed dissatisfaction with the CBI’s progress, stating, “The counter affidavit of CBI does not appear to be a counter affidavit in terms of the earlier order. Even we are unable to understand the progress of the investigation done by the CBI.”
The bench, consisting of Justice Brij Raj Singh and Justice Rajesh Singh Chauhan, noted that while the ED had taken necessary measures, it was authorized to continue its investigation if new evidence justified further action. The court directed that the case remain part-heard by the same bench and be scheduled for August 20.
Gandhi’s appeal to the Supreme Court seeks to challenge these directives. Meanwhile, Shishir has also filed a separate petition alleging violations of citizenship laws by Gandhi, claiming that the Congress leader possesses a British passport in addition to his Indian nationality. In this case, the High Court initially ordered the registration of a first information report (FIR) against Gandhi. However, the presiding judge later withdrew the order and recused himself from the proceedings following social media posts by Shishir concerning the case. This matter also remains pending before the High Court.
