New Delhi, Sep 11 (IANS) A Delhi court on Thursday dismissed a criminal complaint against Congress leader Sonia Gandhi that alleged her name was added to the voter list in 1980, three years before she officially became an Indian citizen in 1983.

Pronouncing the order, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Vaibhav Chaurasia of the Rouse Avenue Court said, “We have dismissed the complaint.”

The complainant claimed that Sonia Gandhi’s inclusion in the voter list before acquiring Indian citizenship points to the use of forged documents, which constitutes a cognisable offence.

ACJM Chaurasia heard preliminary arguments last week on the complaint filed by Vikas Tripathi and fixed September 10 for the next hearing.

Tripathi requested the Rouse Avenue Courts to issue directions to the police to register an FIR and investigate the matter.

The BJP has been alleging that Sonia Gandhi’s inclusion in the voter list before acquiring Indian citizenship constituted the original act of electoral fraud.

“She was listed as a voter in 1980 but only became a citizen in 1983. What greater theft than that?” questioned Rajasthan unit BJP president Madan Rathore.

Accusing Congress of making excuses when defeated, Rathore hit back at Congress’s accusations of vote manipulation by the BJP, calling them baseless.

“If we were involved in vote theft, how did leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot, Tikaram Jully, and Govind Singh Dotasra win elections? Congress celebrates its wins but cries foul when defeated.”

He accused the Congress of manipulating voter lists over the years.

“The voter list is revised regularly – names of new voters are added, and deceased persons are removed. If someone relocates, their name is shifted accordingly. Yet Congress has consistently tampered with this process by inserting fake names.”

–IANS

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