# Prayagraj court summons Pappu Yadav; territorial jurisdiction questioned 2026-08-09T22:41:07+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet A Prayagraj court has summoned Independent MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, along with other Opposition MPs, over a skit at the Parliament complex about alleged theft of donations at the Ayodhya Ram Temple. The summons, returnable on August 11, was based on a private complaint filed in Prayagraj. The Hindu reports that the case raises questions about territorial jurisdiction under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which requires a magistrate to have territorial competence before taking cognisance. Legal experts say strict enforcement is needed to prevent forum-shopping and harassment by litigants. ## Coverage - thehindu.com Tags: BNSS, forum-shopping, Pappu Yadav, Parliament protest, Ram Mandir donations, territorial jurisdiction Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/prayagraj-court-summons-pappu-yadav-territorial-jurisdiction-questioned/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/prayagraj-court-summons-pappu-yadav-territorial-jurisdiction-questioned/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.