MUMBAI: Bollywood actor Imran Khan has been directed to leave India by October 28 after participating in a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, in a case that has drawn attention to the treatment of political dissent and the role of a ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader in seeking action against the actor.
Mumbai Police issued the notice after BJP leader Kirit Somaiya complained about Khan’s participation in the October 10 demonstration at August Kranti Maidan. Khan, a US citizen and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholder, was among hundreds of people detained during protests in Mumbai in solidarity with a wider movement demanding the election chief’s resignation.
Somaiya called for action against Khan, questioning whether a foreign national could take part in a political agitation. The police subsequently referred the matter to immigration authorities, and Khan was served a notice directing him to leave the country by the stated deadline.
The action comes amid a broader controversy over restrictions on demonstrations against the election chief. Protests have spread across several Indian cities following allegations that revisions to electoral rolls could unfairly affect voters and benefit the BJP. The ruling party has denied wrongdoing, while the government and election authorities have defended the voter-list revision process.
The case also places renewed focus on criticism of the BJP’s record on civil liberties and minority rights. Human Rights Watch has accused BJP-led governments of discriminatory treatment of Muslims and documented demolitions of Muslim homes and businesses that it said were carried out without due process. The BJP and authorities have defended such actions on other occasions as enforcement against illegal structures. There is, however, no publicly established evidence that Khan’s immigration notice was issued because of his religion.
Khan had said he joined the Mumbai protest as a citizen concerned about restrictions on freedom of movement and the suppression of public voices. He was detained during the demonstration and later released.
The legal question now centres on whether his participation in the protest violated the conditions applicable to foreign nationals and OCI cardholders. While OCI status allows eligible foreign citizens of Indian origin to live and travel in India under specified conditions, it does not confer full Indian citizenship. Legal commentary has also raised questions about whether participation in a protest, by itself, automatically establishes a violation.
As of Thursday, no public statement from Khan’s legal team challenging the notice had been reported.
