Cinema VinesActor Imran Khan is set to appear before a division bench of the Bombay High Court on October 26 to challenge a directive issued by the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) that orders him to leave India. The notice, dated October 14, was sent to Khan after he was stopped while attempting to attend a protest, prompting him to return to his residence. Khan argues that the FRRO acted without giving him a prior hearing and that the directive violates his rights as an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholder.
The bench, composed of Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna, heard the case on Monday. Senior advocate Venkatesh Dhond, representing Khan, informed the court that the Central Government had been served a copy of the petition and had requested an early hearing on October 21. However, the court scheduled the hearing for October 26 to allow the FRRO time to obtain instructions on the petition. During the proceedings, the bench also instructed Khan’s lawyers to implead the Maharashtra government as a party to the case, so that the court could determine whether the actor has any criminal antecedents.
In his petition, Khan questions the circumstances and manner in which the FRRO issued the October 14 directive. He claims that authorities acted hastily, bypassing the statutory protections available to OCI cardholders and that the action followed social media campaigns targeting him by political figures. Khan seeks the quashing of the notice, an interim stay on its operation, and a restraint on authorities from taking coercive steps such as deportation, issuing lookout notices, blacklisting him or interfering with his OCI status. He also requests the production of internal records relating to the decision to direct him to leave India.
The directive came after Khan was briefly detained by police following his participation in demonstrations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The notice followed a first information report filed by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya at Mumbai’s Gamdevi police station, alleging public‑order violations under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. Khan’s petition, filed on October 17, questions the speed with which the FRRO issued the directive after these developments.
