Bollywood actor Imran Khan has been ordered by the Foreigners Regional Registration Office to leave India by October 28, 2026. The directive follows the actor’s detention at a protest in Mumbai’s August Kranti Maidan on October 10. As a United States citizen holding an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card, Khan was participating in a demonstration against the Chief Election Commissioner regarding electoral roll revisions. The event, which involved the Cockroach Janta Party, drew immediate attention after BJP leader Kirit Somaiya filed a formal complaint alleging that Khan violated immigration laws by engaging in political activities as a foreign national.
Legal representatives for the actor are currently preparing to challenge the expulsion notice in the Bombay High Court. Khan’s counsel argues that the departure order is a drastic measure, asserting that neither the Foreigners Act nor the specific regulations governing OCI status explicitly prohibit participation in peaceful protests. The actor, who famously documented his own detention via an Instagram post from inside a police van, maintains that he has not breached the conditions of his residency. Meanwhile, the government continues to assert that his active involvement in the demonstration was a clear violation of his status as a foreign national.
This legal battle casts a shadow over Khan’s professional future, particularly as he was actively planning a comeback to the film industry following an eleven-year hiatus. Industry observers are now watching closely to see how this conflict impacts his upcoming projects. Beyond the personal implications for the actor, the case has sparked a broader debate regarding the rights of diaspora members and foreign citizens in India. Legal experts suggest that the upcoming Bombay High Court hearing could set a significant precedent for how authorities handle protests involving foreign nationals, with the outcome poised to influence future civil expression debates involving the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Election Commission.