Mumbai Police on Thursday ordered actor Imran Khan to leave India by October 28, saying he took part in a political protest despite not being an Indian citizen, The Times of India reported.
A 'Leave India Notice' was issued to the actor under the relevant provisions of the Immigration Act, citing his status as a non-Indian citizen, according to Mumbai Police.
The case has drawn attention because it raises questions about whether non-citizens living and working in India can join political protests — and it lands at a moment when authorities in the national capital have moved forcefully against opposition demonstrations.
Why was actor Imran Khan asked to leave India?
Khan, the nephew of actor Aamir Khan and known for the film Delhi Belly, took part in a protest at Mumbai's August Kranti Maidan demanding the resignation of chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, The Times of India reported.
Police briefly detained him during the protest. He later shared a picture on social media showing him sitting inside a police van.
Mumbai Police said action was taken against the actor under the relevant provision of the law because he participated in the protest despite not being an Indian citizen.
A related Times of India report referenced a BJP leader's complaint in connection with the notice, pointing to how the anti-CEC protest and that complaint led to the police action. The details of the complaint, including who filed it and what it alleged, were not spelled out in the reporting.
Is Imran Khan an Indian citizen?
Police described him as a non-Indian citizen, but the reporting does not state what citizenship he holds or how long he has lived and worked in India. Those questions remain unanswered, as does whether he will comply with the October 28 deadline or challenge the notice in court.
The notice itself was issued under the Immigration Act, the law Indian authorities use to regulate the entry and stay of foreign nationals. A Leave India Notice directs a non-citizen to depart the country by a set date; what penalties follow if the recipient stays is not detailed in the reporting on Khan's case.
What is the protest against Gyanesh Kumar about?
The demonstration at August Kranti Maidan demanded the resignation of chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The reporting does not detail the specific grievances against Kumar, but it places the Mumbai protest within a wider wave of opposition mobilisation.
The Mumbai protest coincided with a proposed demonstration by CJP at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar on October 10. A crackdown by the Centre in the national capital largely curtailed that planned protest, The Times of India reported.
Mumbai Police Immigration Act notice amid Delhi crackdown on opposition detentions
The scale of the security operation in New Delhi was extensive, according to The Times of India:
- 35,000 security personnel were deployed in New Delhi.
- Internet services were suspended and metro services disrupted in parts of the city.
- The crackdown led to over 7,000 detentions in the national capital.
- Those detained included opposition leaders Arvind Kejriwal, Mamata Banerjee and Pinarayi Vijayan.
What happens next for the detained opposition leaders was not detailed in the reporting. Nor is it clear whether the CJP demonstration at Jantar Mantar will be rescheduled.
For Khan, the immediate question is narrower: whether he leaves by October 28, seeks legal recourse, or faces further action under the Immigration Act if he stays. The reporting so far offers no statement from the actor beyond the social media picture from inside the police van, and no indication of whether he has engaged lawyers over the notice.