The actor filed a petition in the Bombay High Court on Saturday, asking judges to stop the authorities from acting against him until his case is heard. Imran Khan, who has lived in India since childhood, is fighting an order that could force him to leave the country within days. The Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) issued the order on October 14, accusing Khan of breaking immigration rules after he attended a protest in Mumbai four days earlier.
They were released later that day. Khan has asked the court to cancel the notice and immediately stop its enforcement. He also wants the FRRO to hand over the records used to make its decision. Police detained several people at the protest, including Khan, his partner Lekha Washington and his cousin Zayn Marie Khan. It claims he was returning to his car when reporters gathered around him and police detained him. The actor has also argued that Indian immigration law does not bar OCI cardholders from taking part in protests. After being detained, Khan shared a photograph from inside a police van on social media with the caption, “Apparently, I am going for a ride. Former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya lodged a complaint after the protest. He alleged that Khan, being an American citizen, had broken immigration rules by taking part in a political demonstration. Somaiya demanded that Khan be deported and asked the Mumbai Police to check his citizenship status. He argued that the authorities should take action against foreign nationals who violate Indian laws. Khan’s lawyers have disputed the claim, saying his participation in the protest does not automatically amount to a violation of immigration rules. The petition also points out that no chargesheet has been filed against the actor in connection with the protest. His lawyers say the allegations against him have not been proved and cannot justify ordering him to leave the country.
The notice refers to the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, and warns Khan that he could face legal action if he fails to leave the country by October 28. His petition says he was given just 14 days to leave without any prior inquiry, warning, or chance to defend himself.
Khan said the notice did not specify which law he had violated or what he had done wrong. His lawyers said the authorities ordered him to leave India without giving him a chance to explain his actions. Khan said he had attended the gathering as someone who lived in Mumbai and was not representing any political party. His petition says he did not cross police barricades or enter an area where entry was prohibited.
When will Bombay High Court hear Imran Khan’s case?
On Saturday, the FRRO issued a separate notice asking Khan why his Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) registration should not be cancelled. His lawyers, Zulfiquar Memon, Parvez Memon and Chirag Naik, have asked the court to protect him from deportation and other action while the case is being heard. The notice was issued under Section 7D of the Citizenship Act, which deals with the cancellation of OCI registration. The card allows eligible people of Indian origin to live and work in India for life under a visa scheme. Notably, an OCI card does not make someone an Indian citizen. Its holders cannot vote in Indian elections or contest elections. Khan’s lawyers say the authorities ignored his OCI status when they ordered him to leave. They argue that he has lived in India for more than four decades and cannot be made to leave without a proper legal process.
Khan, an American citizen, has held an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card since 2006. His petition also says the order violates his rights to equality before the law and personal liberty under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution. The case dates back to October 10, when actor Imran Khan joined a protest near Mumbai’s August Kranti Maidan in support of the Cockroach Janta Party’s agitation, which demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Khan’s lawyers are expected to request an urgent hearing on Monday, October 19, before a bench comprising Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna. The actor wants the court to stop the October 14 order from being enforced while it examines his petition. The deadline for Khan to leave India is October 28.
Khan has been asked to explain his position before the authorities take a decision.
