Imran Khan, 40 years in India, told to leave by Oct 28
Kiran Rao and Saba Azad back Imran Khan as the Mumbai FRRO asks the actor to leave India by October 28; he plans a Bombay High Court challenge.
Imran Khan has been told to leave India by October 28. The Mumbai unit of the Foreigners Regional Registration Office served the notice to the actor, who holds a US passport and an Overseas Citizen of India card.
The order arrives days after Khan was detained at a protest in Mumbai. On October 10, he joined a demonstration by the Cockroach Janta Party calling for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. His partner, Lekha Washington, was also detained.
The trigger and the complaint
After the detention, Khan shared a photo that appeared to show him inside a police van, captioning it, “Apparently I’m going for a drive.” Speaking to reporters at the site, he framed his presence as a citizen’s question about freedom of movement: “I don’t have demands. I’m here as a citizen, as a person who lives in this city.”
The FRRO notice, issued on October 15, cites alleged violations of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025. A Mumbai Police official confirmed the action and said the actor, nephew of Aamir Khan, lives in Khar and was served the notice. The move followed a complaint by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya over Khan’s participation in the protest while holding a US passport and an OCI card.
- The order: Leave India by October 28, under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025.
- The trigger: Detention at an October 10 protest and a subsequent complaint by Kirit Somaiya.
- The support: Kiran Rao and Saba Azad criticised the notice publicly.
- The next step: A petition in the Bombay High Court expected by Friday or Monday.
Kiran Rao and Saba Azad push back
Filmmaker Kiran Rao reacted on Instagram, writing, “Wah, now it’s Mumbai police?” and listing the actor’s long ties to the country: “43 years old. 40 of those years in India. Studied here, worked here, succeeded here, failed here, loved here and fought here.” The comment pointedly frames the notice as a move against someone whose life has largely been lived in India.
Actor Saba Azad, who is in a relationship with Hrithik Roshan, was blunter, calling the notice “bulls**t.” The public reactions from industry names have turned a legal notice into a wider Bollywood conversation, not just a documentation issue.
Why the October 28 date matters
An OCI card gives foreign passport holders a long-term route to live and work in India, but it is not citizenship. That distinction sits at the centre of this dispute: the FRRO has acted against someone who is legally a US citizen, while supporters point to a life built in India.
For fans, the deadline turns a policy story into a personal one. A court challenge could clarify where the line sits for OCI cardholders in public demonstrations. Until then, October 28 remains the date to watch.
The legal fight ahead
Khan’s lawyer, Zulfikar Memon, said the actor will challenge the order in the Bombay High Court. The legal team has described the notice as “drastic” and argued that no provision of the law specifically bars OCI cardholders from participating in protests. A petition is expected by Friday or Monday.
Source: Hindustan Times
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