October 16, 2026: A protest over democratic rights has turned into a legal battle for Bollywood actor Imran Khan, after Mumbai Police directed the American citizen to leave India by October 28. The notice, issued under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, has raised questions about the rights of Overseas Citizen of India cardholders and the limits of political participation by foreign nationals.
The 43 year old actor, who holds American citizenship and an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card, joined a demonstration organised by the Cockroach Janta Party at Mumbai’s August Kranti Maidan on October 10. The protest targeted Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Police briefly detained Khan during the demonstration. On Thursday, he received a notice directing him to leave the country, marking a significant escalation in the matter.
According to a PTI report, Khan is expected to challenge the notice in the Bombay High Court through his advocate, Zulfiquar Memon. The petition could be filed on Friday or Monday, with a request for an urgent hearing before a division bench comprising Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna.
The proposed plea argues that no provision of law or rule specifically prohibits an OCI cardholder from participating in a peaceful protest. It describes the police action as drastic and questions the legal basis for directing the actor to leave India.
Imran Khan Challenges Leave India Notice After Mumbai Protest Row
Proceedings against Khan have reportedly been initiated under Sections 29 and 7 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025. Section 7 empowers the government to regulate or restrict the entry, departure, presence and movement of foreign nationals in India, while Section 29 provides for the removal of foreigners in specified circumstances involving violations of the law or an adverse security report.
The case has brought renewed attention to the distinction between the rights of Indian citizens and those of foreign nationals living in the country under specific immigration arrangements.
A Union Home Ministry official, quoted in the report, said an OCI card does not confer the political rights enjoyed by Indian citizens. The official noted that constitutional protections concerning freedom of speech and peaceful assembly do not automatically extend to foreign nationals on the same terms.
However, the official also cautioned that a complaint or an alleged visa violation does not, by itself, establish an offence or automatically justify deportation. The official said the law requires a reasonable opportunity to be heard before an OCI registration is cancelled under Section 7D.
Khan attended the October 10 demonstration alongside his cousin Zayn Marie Khan and his partner, Lekha Washington. Videos and photographs showing him being pushed into a police van circulated widely on social media.
Following his detention, the actor shared a photograph of himself sitting inside the vehicle and making a victory sign. “Apparently I’m going for a drive,” he wrote in the caption.
Speaking to reporters that day, Imran Khan said he had joined the gathering as a Mumbai resident rather than to advance a specific demand.
“I don’t have demands. I am here as a citizen, as a person who lives in this city,” he said, questioning why freedom of movement was being restricted and why people’s voices were being suppressed.
His remarks drew support from sections of social media, where users praised him for publicly expressing his views. The incident also sparked memes referencing his debut film, Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na, and its character Ranjore.
The response was not universally supportive. BJP leader and former MP Kirit Somaiya had called for Khan’s deportation, urging authorities to verify his citizenship and questioning whether a foreign national should participate in a political agitation in India.
Senior advocate and politician Majeed Memon defended Khan’s participation, arguing that a foreign citizen should not automatically face objections for joining a peaceful protest. Memon said the actor had not launched an individual campaign against the government but had joined a gathering of people who believed the situation being protested was contrary to democratic principles and the public interest.
Khan’s citizenship status has been a subject of public discussion for years. In 2011, he said he was pursuing an Indian passport and hoped to acquire one. At the time, he acknowledged that he could not vote in India because he was not an Indian citizen, but said he could encourage public participation by raising awareness about elections.
The controversy has renewed scrutiny of the distinction between cultural belonging and formal citizenship, particularly for people who live in India but do not possess the political rights reserved for Indian nationals.
Khan, nephew of superstar Aamir Khan, stepped away from leading roles after the 2015 film Katti Batti, later citing burnout and a desire to move away from the pressures of the film industry. He made a cameo appearance earlier this year in Happy Patel: Khatarnaak Jasoos, directed by Vir Das and produced by Aamir Khan. He is also scheduled to return as a leading actor in the Netflix film Adhure Hum Adhure Tum, co starring Bhumi Pednekar.
His public interventions have not been limited to the latest Mumbai demonstration. In July, Imran Khan criticised Delhi Police action against students protesting the alleged NEET examination paper leak, expressing concern about students who felt let down by the system.
The latest dispute comes as Khan gradually returns to the public eye through film projects and comments on issues of public concern. The immediate question is whether the police notice will withstand a legal challenge. Any proceedings before the Bombay High Court could bring greater clarity to the application of immigration law in cases involving foreign nationals who participate in peaceful public demonstrations.
