An FIR has been registered against Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi at Haldwani Kotwali police station in Uttarakhand’s Nainital district. The case relates to his alleged remarks on a “purification ritual” held at the Ramlila Ground in Haldwani. Police registered the FIR on Sunday following a complaint against Gandhi.

Superintendent of Police (City) Haldwani Manoj Kumar Katyal confirmed the development. “Based on the complaint submitted by Amit Kumar, a Jawahar Nagar Colony resident, an FIR has been registered against Rahul Gandhi under relevant sections, and a thorough investigation into the matter is currently underway.”

Amit Kumar, a 26-year-old resident of Jawahar Nagar Colony, filed a complaint. Kumar identified himself as a member of the Scheduled Caste (Valmiki) community. He also serves as an office-bearer of the local trust, Shri Ram Sena Dharmarth Seva Nyas.

According to the complaint, Gandhi made the remarks during a press conference in New Delhi on August 29. The complainant alleged that Gandhi described the cleaning and havan ritual held at the Ramlila Ground as an act of “untouchability”. He also alleged that Gandhi termed the incident an atrocity against the Scheduled Caste community without verifying the facts.

The case has been registered under provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. Police have also invoked Sections 196 and 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. Section 196 deals with promoting enmity between different classes, while Section 299 relates to deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings.

The FIR follows a controversy over the ritual conducted at Haldwani’s Ramlila Ground. Gandhi’s comments about the incident have now led to a police complaint and a formal investigation.

The complainant has challenged Gandhi’s description of the ritual and alleged that his remarks wrongly linked the event to discrimination against the Scheduled Caste community. Kumar approached the police over the statement and sought action under the relevant legal provisions.

Police have begun investigating the allegations. The FIR does not establish guilt, and the allegations against Gandhi will be examined as part of the investigation. The authorities will determine the facts and assess whether the remarks meet the requirements of the sections mentioned in the case.

The development comes after Gandhi’s August 29 press conference in New Delhi, where he spoke about the Haldwani ritual. His alleged reference to the event as “untouchability” has become the basis of the complaint filed by Kumar, who belongs to the Valmiki community.

The Haldwani police have confirmed that the case is under investigation. Further action will depend on the findings of the probe and the evidence collected by the authorities.