Actor Imran Khan To Challenge 'Leave India' Order In Bombay High Court

Actor Imran Khan, an American citizen and an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholder, is going to contest the Foreigners Regional Registration Office's (FRRO) direction to leave India in the Bombay High Court.

Lawyer Zulfiqar Memon will file a petition in the High Court challenging the order.

The action came days after Imran Khan was detained following his participation in the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) protest in Mumbai seeking Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation.

FRRO has ordered the actor, who appeared in several hit films in the late 2000s, to leave India by October 28.

After the protest on October 10, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya had filed a complaint with the police that the actor had taken part in the protest despite being an American citizen, thus violating the rules.

Police forwarded the complaint to the FRRO, which issued a deportation notice. It contended that even though Khan holds an OCI card, he still cannot participate in protests.

The notice to leave, delivered by Mumbai Police, was issued under the provisions of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025.

Section 7 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 empowers the Central Government of India to issue orders, directions, or instructions to regulate, restrict, or prohibit the entry, departure, presence, or movement of foreigners in India.

Section 29 of the Act governs the power of removal.

"The Central Government may, by general or special order, direct the removal of a foreigner from India for contravention of any of the provisions of this Act or any rule or order made thereunder or an adverse security report, and thereupon any officer of the Government shall have all reasonable powers necessary to enforce such directions," reads the section.

Abu Azmi, the chief of Samajwadi Party's Maharashtra unit, has opposed the move.

"This is wrong. Imran Khan belongs to this country. Even if he has changed his nationality, he is still connected to this country. Many people have moved to other countries, but they still love their homeland, the land of their forefathers. If he came here and made a comment, taking such a harsh step and forcing him to leave the country as soon as possible is, I believe, an attempt by the government to prevent its failures from being exposed," he said.