Allahabad High Court Defers Hearing in Plea Seeking FIR Against Rahul Gandhi Over Alleged ‘Indian State’ Remark
The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday postponed further proceedings until March 25 in a petition that challenges a lower court’s refusal to order the registration of a criminal case against Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, over remarks he allegedly made in 2025 that the petitioner claims were controversial and anti-national.
The matter was taken up by Justice Samit Gopal, who agreed to defer the hearing after counsel representing the petitioner requested additional time. Following the request, the court scheduled the case for the next hearing on March 25.
Background of the Case
The petition before the High Court has been filed by Simran Gupta, who has challenged an earlier decision of a court in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh.
The Sambhal court had dismissed an application seeking directions to the police to lodge a First Information Report (FIR) against Rahul Gandhi.
The application in the lower court had been moved under provisions of criminal law, requesting that authorities initiate an investigation into the Congress leader’s alleged statement made during a political event.
Statement at the Centre of the Dispute
According to the petitioner, the controversy stems from remarks attributed to Rahul Gandhi during the inauguration ceremony of a new office of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in 2025.
The petitioner has claimed that during the event, Gandhi allegedly stated that the political struggle of his party was not only against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), but also against the Indian state itself.
Simran Gupta contends that such a statement allegedly undermines the authority and integrity of the nation and has deeply offended the sentiments of citizens across the country.
In her petition, she argues that the remark should be treated as a seditious and anti-national declaration, allegedly made with the intention of destabilising the country’s institutional framework.
Challenge to the Sambhal Court Order
The petitioner approached the High Court after the Sambhal court rejected her plea seeking the registration of an FIR.
Dissatisfied with that decision, she filed a petition requesting the High Court to set aside the lower court’s order and direct the authorities to initiate criminal proceedings against the Congress leader.
Earlier High Court Proceedings
The case has been under consideration by the High Court for some time. In an earlier hearing on February 11, Justice Samit Gopal had granted time to the petitioner’s counsel to submit a supplementary affidavit providing additional details and supporting documents related to the allegations.
In its order passed on that date, the court had observed that the petitioner’s lawyer had sought two weeks to place the additional affidavit on record.
The court allowed the request and directed that if such a document was filed, the registry should accept it and place it before the bench on the next date of hearing.
The court had also clarified in that order that no interim relief had been granted in the matter while the petition remained under consideration.
Next Hearing
With the latest adjournment, the High Court will now examine the petition again on March 25, when further arguments are expected regarding the legality of the Sambhal court’s decision and whether any criminal proceedings should be initiated in connection with the alleged statement.
The case has drawn attention due to its political implications and the broader debate over freedom of speech, political criticism, and the legal threshold for initiating criminal action against public figures.
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