Imran Khan moves Bombay High Court against India exit notice

Bollywood actor Imran Khan has approached the Bombay High Court to challenge a notice directing him to leave India by October 28, arguing that the order is unconstitutional and fails to account for his Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status.

The 44-year-old actor filed a petition on Saturday against the notice issued by the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) on October 14. He has asked the court to cancel the order and suspend its implementation while the case is heard.

The dispute follows Khan’s detention near Mumbai’s August Kranti Maidan on October 10 during a student-led protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Authorities reportedly took action over alleged immigration violations linked to his presence at the demonstration.

Khan, a United States citizen who says he has lived in India since the age of two, argued that officials had considered only his American nationality while overlooking his OCI registration. He maintains that his status provides a legal basis for his residence in India and that ordering him to leave without due process would violate his constitutional protections, including those under Article 21.

In his petition, the actor challenged the grounds for the notice, arguing that his presence near a protest site did not justify such action. He also denied having organisational links to the demonstration and said he had visited the area out of curiosity.

Khan maintained that he complied when police informed him that the area was restricted. He also rejected allegations that he had incited the crowd, claiming that authorities had failed to consider relevant CCTV footage. According to his account, he was returning to his car when he was detained after media personnel gathered around him.

The petition further questions the FRRO’s authority to issue the notice under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025. Khan argued that local police had imposed restrictions around the protest site and that it had not been formally designated as a prohibited location by the central government.

Alongside the exit notice, the FRRO issued a show-cause notice asking why his OCI registration should not be cancelled under Section 7D(e) of the Citizenship Act, 1955. The provision allows cancellation on specified grounds, including national security, sovereignty and public interest, subject to applicable legal safeguards.

Khan has reportedly been given 15 days to respond to the show-cause notice. Authorities have warned that further action may follow if he fails to submit an explanation within the prescribed period.

His lawyers are expected to seek an urgent hearing before a Bombay High Court division bench on Monday, October 19. The actor has requested interim relief against the exit notice while the court considers his challenge.