Mumbai: Lawyers for Bollywood actor Imran Khan—who holds a US passport—have stated that they will approach the Bombay High Court to challenge a notice issued to him following his participation in a protest in Mumbai. They clarified that existing regulations do not prohibit holders of an OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) card from participating in protests.
Last week, actor Imran Khan, a US passport holder, took part in a protest held at Kranti Maidan in Mumbai. The protest was organized to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. During the event, the Mumbai Police took Imran Khan into custody.
Legal action has been initiated against Imran Khan under Sections 29 and 7 of the Immigration Act, on the grounds that he participated in a protest despite not being an Indian citizen. Citing regulations applicable to OCI cardholders, the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) has issued a notice directing him to leave the country by October 28.
At the time he was taken into custody, Imran Khan shared a photo of himself sitting inside a police van, sarcastically captioning it, “I’m going for a drive.” Speaking to the media, he clarified that he had arrived at the location as an ordinary citizen of Mumbai, not with any specific demands. Furthermore, he questioned the restrictions placed on the freedom of movement and the attempts to silence the voices of the people.
Abhijit Deepke, an activist associated with the ‘Cockroach Janata Party’ who has spoken out in support of Imran Khan, expressed his displeasure in a post on X (formerly Twitter). He asked, “Mary Millben, a US citizen, is free to speak in favor of the BJP in India; does Imran Khan—who holds an OCI card—not have the right to speak against the BJP?”