A Delhi court on Thursday heard a criminal complaint seeking registration of a case against Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, alleging that her name appeared on the electoral rolls before she was granted Indian citizenship.
The matter came up before Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Vaibhav Chaurasia at Rouse Avenue Courts. After a brief hearing, the court scheduled the matter for further consideration on September 10.
The complaint was filed by Vikas Tripathi, who has sought a direction for lodging an FIR against Gandhi in connection with alleged irregularities in the New Delhi constituency’s electoral roll.
Allegation Of Premature Entry
Tripathi’s petition alleges that Gandhi’s name was first added to the voter list in 1980, even though she formally became an Indian citizen only in April 1983. According to him, her name was subsequently removed in 1982 but reappeared in the list after her citizenship application in 1983.
“Her application [for Indian citizenship] is also of April 1983. How her name got included in the electoral roll in the New Delhi constituency in 1980, which was then deleted in 82 and re-entered in 1983,” Tripathi’s lawyer told the court.
Call For FIR Registration
The complainant argued that Gandhi’s inclusion in the 1980 roll could not have happened without the use of forged or misleading documents. This, he claimed, amounts to a cognisable offence, warranting a full-fledged police investigation.
“The inclusion of her name in the electoral roll in 1980 means some forged documents were submitted and there is a case showing that a cognisable offence has been committed,” the counsel submitted.
On this basis, Tripathi urged the magistrate to order the registration of an FIR against the Congress leader.
After hearing the submissions, the court said it would revisit the matter next week. No notice has yet been issued either to Sonia Gandhi or to the Delhi Police in connection with the complaint.
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