Imran Khan Gets December 7 Reprieve After Apology
Actor Imran Khan submits an unconditional apology after the Bombay High Court criticises his participation in Mumbai's SIR protests as an OCI cardholder.
Mumbai: Actor Imran Khan has tendered an unconditional apology to the Bombay High Court after it rebuked him for joining the Mumbai protests against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. The apology came while the court was hearing his challenge to a Leave India Notice issued against him.
Why the court drew a line
Imran Khan is an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholder. During the hearing, the Bombay High Court observed that he was not directly affected by the SIR exercise and could not be treated on the same footing as Indian citizens. As an OCI cardholder, the court said, he “did not have the right to criticise the country.”
The bench gave him a choice: submit an unconditional apology or express regret on oath. It also sought an undertaking that he would not join similar protests in the future. Khan submitted the undertaking and tendered the unconditional apology. The court then put the Leave India Notice on hold until December 7.
The notice and the process
Khan had moved the Bombay High Court after the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) directed him to leave India by October 28 over his participation in the protests. The court initially kept the notice in abeyance until November 2, and that relief has now been extended to December 7.
The bench also questioned the FRRO’s decision-making. It orally observed that someone who has been residing in India for more than four decades without adverse antecedents should at least have been given an opportunity to present his side before such a notice was issued.
What the December 7 date really means
For fans and fellow public figures, this is a reminder that OCI status is not the same as citizenship. A long personal history in India does not automatically bring the same legal room to join local policy protests. Public figures can also find that participation in a visible protest has follow-on consequences, as the court’s demand for an undertaking shows.
At the same time, the court’s criticism of the FRRO’s process matters. The bench did not only look at the actor’s conduct; it questioned whether a long-term resident with a clean record should have been heard before being asked to leave. That concern is a key reason the notice has not taken effect immediately.
- Imran Khan submitted an unconditional apology and promised not to join similar protests.
- The Leave India Notice now stands on hold until December 7.
- The court questioned why the FRRO did not hear him before issuing the notice.
For now, the actor’s residence continues under the court’s protection. The December 7 date is a pause, not a final answer, and the next hearing will be watched for what it says about OCI cardholders and their room to speak on policy.
Source: Filmfare
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