Mohit Singh
Mumbai, Oct 15: Bollywood actor Imran Khan has been asked to leave India by October 28 for allegedly violating immigration rules after participating in a political protest in Mumbai, officials said on Thursday. The action, reported by Reuters, Hindustan Times, Indian Express and Filmibeat, centres on the actor’s foreign citizenship and his participation in an October 10 demonstration against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The development comes after BJP leader Kirit Somaiya urged Mumbai Police to verify Khan’s citizenship and questioned whether a foreign national should take part in a political agitation, news agency PTI reported.
FRRO Notice and the October 28 Deadline
The Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Mumbai has asked Khan, who is reportedly an American citizen, to leave India by October 28, Hindustan Times reported on October 15. A Mumbai Police official said the notice was served on the actor, who lives in Khar, and that he had received a copy.
The notice was issued under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, under which foreign nationals are barred from participating in political protests or political activities on Indian soil, a police official told Filmibeat. The FRRO, which operates under the Bureau of Immigration of the Ministry of Home Affairs, regulates the registration, stay, movement and departure of foreign nationals in India.
Further administrative procedures in the matter are underway, officials said.
The October 10 Protest
Khan participated in an agitation on October 10 at August Kranti Maidan in Mumbai Central, where protesters demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over voter-list revisions that critics and opposition parties say favour the ruling BJP, Reuters reported.
The protest was organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a satirical political group, according to multiple reports. During the demonstration, police briefly detained the actor, along with his partner, actress Lekha Washington, and his cousin Zayne Marie Khan. All three were released later, Tupaki reported.
After the detention, Imran Khan posted a picture of himself inside a police van on Instagram with the caption “Apparently I’m going for a drive”, which was widely shared on social media, Reuters reported.
The Citizenship Question
According to the Indian Express, Khan, 43, is a US citizen and is not an Indian citizen. He holds an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card, under which he has been residing in India, Hindustan Times reported. Under Indian law, a foreign national’s participation in political protests may be treated as a violation of immigration and visa rules, Reuters noted.
Somaiya, according to PTI, said the actor was born and educated in the US but earned his livelihood in India while participating in political and diplomatic activities opposing the government. He had earlier urged Mumbai Police to verify Khan’s citizenship and to clarify whether he could participate in such agitations given his OCI status.
The actor is the nephew of superstar Aamir Khan and belongs to a well-known film family. Reuters noted that he acted in several hit Bollywood films between 2008 and 2015 before suddenly retiring from the industry.
Reactions to the Notice
Filmmaker and Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) chief advisor Ashoke Pandit publicly backed the government’s decision, saying that one must be an Indian citizen first before claiming rights as one, Nation Press reported.
Khan had not immediately responded to a request for comment from Reuters, the news agency said on October 15.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Imran Khan the actor?
He is a former Bollywood actor, the nephew of superstar Aamir Khan, who starred in several hit Hindi films between 2008 and 2015 before retiring from the industry. He is not the former Pakistani prime minister of the same name.
Why was he asked to leave India?
Mumbai’s FRRO issued him a notice to leave by October 28, 2026, after he joined an October 10 protest in Mumbai demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Officials said that as a US citizen holding an OCI card, his participation in a political protest violated provisions of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025.
What is an OCI card?
The Overseas Citizen of India card is issued by the Indian government to foreign nationals of Indian origin, allowing them long-term visa-free travel to and residence in India. It does not confer Indian citizenship or the right to vote.
Has Imran Khan responded?
As of October 15, he had not issued a formal statement. He acknowledged the October 10 detention with an Instagram post captioned “Apparently I’m going for a drive,” and did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.
