Sonia Gandhi terms FIR plea 'frivolous, politically motivated'

New Delhi: Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has filed a reply in court opposing a plea seeking registration of a first information report (FIR) against her for allegedly getting her name included in the electoral roll before acquiring Indian citizenship.

In her response, Gandhi termed the plea "wholly misconceived, frivolous, politically motivated and an abuse of the process of law." The reply was filed in response to a petition by Vikas Tripathi seeking an FIR against her.

The court posted the matter for resumed hearing on February 21 after taking Gandhi's response on record.


Tripathi has alleged that Gandhi's name was included in the electoral roll of the New Delhi constituency in 1980, though she became an Indian citizen only in April 1983. He further claimed that her name was included in 1980, deleted in 1982, and re-entered in 1983.

The complaint was initially dismissed in September last year by an Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate. Tripathi subsequently filed a revision plea before a sessions court in December, following which notice was issued to Gandhi on December 9.

In her reply, Gandhi submitted that the complaint relies on speculative assumptions, media reports and "imaginary applications" without producing any foundational documents. She contended that serious allegations had been made in a reckless manner based on imagination, opinion or unwarranted presumption.

Referring to the allegation of a public outcry in 1982 leading to deletion of her name, Gandhi said it was "intriguing" that after 43 years, the complainant claimed direct knowledge of such events in a criminal complaint.