Imran Khan’s India Stay: Bombay HC to Rule Before Oct 28 Deadline
The Bombay High Court hears Imran Khan's plea before the American OCI holder must leave India under an October 28 police notice.
Imran Khan’s stay in India has turned into a one-day legal window. The actor, an American citizen who holds an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card, has been told to leave India by October 28. His only chance to pause that deadline is the Bombay High Court, which takes up his plea on October 27.
What started the action
Khan was briefly detained at Kranti Maidan on October 10 during a political protest. Because he is an American national, his presence at the gathering has been examined under the Immigration and Foreigners Act rather than as a routine fan or celebrity appearance. The Foreign Regional Registration Office (FRRO) issued a show-cause notice tied to his OCI status, and the police notice that followed tells him to leave India by October 28.
His plea, moved through counsel Venkatesh Dhond, describes the notice as illegal, arbitrary, and drastic and says it reflects patent non-application of mind. Khan’s side maintains he was only a spectator at the protest, but that argument has not been accepted so far.
The key dates
- October 10: Briefly detained at Kranti Maidan.
- October 27: Bombay High Court’s final hearing on his plea.
- October 28: Deadline to leave India, after which deportation proceedings may begin.
Why an OCI card matters here
Fans often read OCI as a near-permanent Indian connection, but the card does not grant citizenship or the political rights that come with an Indian passport. It offers long-term visa-free travel for eligible foreign citizens of Indian origin, while still leaving the holder subject to immigration rules. That is exactly the distinction at the centre of this case.
Authorities have cited two legal provisions. Section 7(2)(C) lets the government regulate or restrict the presence of any foreigner, and Section 29 allows the direct removal of a foreign national for contravening rules or orders. In short, the notice is not about whether Khan is a well-known actor; it is about whether his OCI status survives the protest-related scrutiny.
What is actually at stake
The October 27 hearing and the October 28 deadline are only a day apart. That means the High Court’s order will effectively decide whether the exit notice is enforced or paused. Authorities have warned that deportation proceedings will commence if Khan does not comply with the deadline.
For the audience, this is a rare case where a familiar face becomes the test of OCI restrictions. The order to watch for is the Bombay High Court’s ruling on Tuesday, not just the headline of an exit deadline.
Source: Filmfare
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