The Allahabad High Court at Lucknow has issued an interim order directing the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to provide round-the-clock security to S. Vignesh Shishir, a petitioner who claims to have received threats due to his legal actions and complaints against prominent political leaders, including senior Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Vignesh Shishir, who claims to be a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Karnataka wing, appearing in person before the court, sought immediate Y-Plus category security after alleging repeated threats related to his ongoing complaints and public interest litigations. Shishir has been actively assisting government agencies in several sensitive cases, including, as per his petition, those involving “income tax evasion, money laundering, left-wing extremism, foreign NGO funding, election financing, benami transactions, terror financing and corruption”.
He argued that his current vulnerability stems from having filed a writ seeking disqualification (writ of Quo Warranto) against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and from challenging Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s candidacy in Wayanad, Kerala.
A key claim centres on Shishir’s assertion that Rahul Gandhi is a British citizen and had concealed this status while contesting Lok Sabha elections. Shishir told the court that he has submitted evidence to Indian authorities, including documents from the UK, relating to a company—M/s Backops Limited, incorporated in 2003—where Rahul Gandhi allegedly declared himself a British national and served as Director. Shishir also claimed to have obtained a copy of Gandhi’s British passport from British authorities in May 2025, though he notes the Indian government withheld it from him.
Shishir has also reportedly objected to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s candidacy before the Returning Officer for the Wayanad by-election, alleging irregularities and planning a separate writ of quo warranto.
Despite sending multiple representations to government officials, including the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Shishir claimed his requests for central security remained unaddressed. The PMO, according to submissions in court, forwarded his requests to the Ministry of Home Affairs, but no action was taken. After his police complaint regarding Gandhi’s alleged citizenship issue in Rae Bareli, Shishir received a notice from police to appear before investigators and produce his evidence. The situation, he argued, placed him at grave risk.
During proceedings, senior Advocate S.B. Pandey, representing the Union of India, acknowledged the threat to Shishir and indicated that under the Witness Protection Scheme, the court had authority to order security cover for those facing credible risks.
The bench comprising Justices Sangeeta Chandra and Brij Raj Singh held that Shishir’s repeated complaints and appearances before various investigative authorities had heightened the threat to his safety. Noting that the petitioner’s cases “require consideration as the petitioner has been pursuing his cases against a very powerful individual and is facing constant threats,” the court ordered the immediate deployment of a Personal Security Officer (PSO) from the Central Armed Police Forces for Shishir.
The court scheduled the next hearing for October 9, 2025, and instructed the Ministry of Home Affairs and other government respondents to file a comprehensive response, with documentation of any formal decisions made regarding Shishir’s security requests.
This case is the latest episode in a series of legal challenges led by Shishir, who previously filed Public Interest Litigations (PILs) on related matters, all of which were dismissed earlier. The case turns a spotlight on the government’s handling of whistleblower protections for those challenging powerful figures.
