Imran Khan challenges FRRO notices asking to ‘leave the country’; Approaches Bombay Court

Bollywood actor Imran Khan has moved the Bombay High Court seeking an interim stay on a notice directing him to leave India. The notice stemmed from his detention at an October 10th protest at Mumbai’s August Kranti Maidan, where the demonstrators demanded the resignation of Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

In his petition, Khan argues that the notice neither specified his alleged immigration violations nor considered his status as a domicile citizen of India cardholder. It seeks to quash the notice and asks the FRRO, Foreign Regional Registration Office, to produce the records on which the notice is based.

The plea, filed by advocates Zulfiquar Memon, Parvez Memon and Chirag Naik, will be mentioned for urgent hearing on Monday.

The petition further contends that the FRRO treated him solely as a U.S. national without considering his lifelong residency rights as an OCI cardholder, calling this a failure to apply its mind. The petition further mentioned that he was given only two weeks to leave the country without a prior inquiry, show-cause notice, or an opportunity to be heard. He also challenged the basis for action against his presence at the protest. He argues that the location was not a restricted area and that OCI cardholders are not prohibited from participating in protests. It claims he did not breach barricades and was leaving when media persons surrounded him, shortly before police detained him and his family members.

Khan, along with actor Lekha Washington and cousin Zayn Mary Khan, were detained while attending the protest. The petition describes the direction to leave India as disproportionate, arguing it seeks to uproot a lifelong resident over an unproven case involving bailable offences in which no charge sheet has been filed.

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