The Supreme Court on Monday (August 17, 2026) ordered an immediate halt on disproportionate assets proceedings initiated by Allahabad High Court against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi while observing that at least courts should follow principles of natural justice.
The High Court was scheduled to hear the case on August 20. A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant was reacting to submissions made by senior advocate Kapil Sibal and advocate Prasanna S., appearing for Mr. Gandhi, that High Court proceedings and subsequent directions to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Directorate of Enforcement (ED) to inquire into the allegations of disproportionate assets made by the private complainant, S. Mr. The records were kept in sealed covers. Mr. Gandhi was not given an opportunity to be heard on the allegations. They do not require permission of the accused to do that. But the courts are different. If the courts want to issue directions [for inquiry/investigation], the courts are expected to fulfill the principles of natural justice,” Chief Justice Kant addressed the CBI counsel, Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju. “If they [allegations against Mr. Gandhi] were so serious, why did your agency keep quiet all this while? Did you require an impetus from the court? You could have used your own statutory powers to start an inquiry…”, Justice Joymalya Bagchi addressed Mr. Mr. Gandhi had termed the series of directions passed by the Lucknow Bench of the High Court in May and July directing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) to probe the allegations against him as one of the rarest instances of a Constitutional court acting contrary to several first principles or basic, fundamental legal rules all at once. He noted how the High Court had ordered an investigation by ED under the money laundering even without a predicate offence being registered.
Vignesh Shishir, against the Congress leader, amounted to a “witch-hunt”. Sibal said the High Court proceedings were conducted in-chamber, and not in open court. “According to our understanding of the law, the police or an investigating authority can register a case on a complaint. The Leader of Opposition said the High court orders had directly affected his civil rights and political reputation.
