The Bombay High Court on Monday came down heavily while hearing the actor Imran Khan's petition challenging the Foreigners Regional Registration Office's (FRRO) Leave India Notice. The High Court observed that holding an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card does not give a person the right to participate in protests, the Live Law reported. The court told the actor that he was not an Indian citizen.
"You're not even remotely affected by the SIR (Special Intensive Revision) drive; therefore, you have no right to participate in protests linked to the issue," the court said. You will have to apologise because all this is instigation, it added.
The High Court asked the actor what he was there, adding that there was a complete difference between the rights of citizens and OCI cardholders.
The High Court also sought a clarification from Khan on whether he was there for protest or some other work. The actor was asked to submit a statement that he had no association with the protests because the agitation was with regard to the SIR, with which he had no concern at all.
Imran Khan Tenders Unconditional Apology
The High Court set the next hearing on Khan's plea on December 7, the FRRO ''Leave India'' notice over taking part in protest kept in abeyance until then. The actor tendered an unconditional apology after the High Court pulled up for participating in the protest, giving an undertaking to court that he would not take part in the protest.
No Intention Of Participating In Any Protest: Khan
Khan's counsel, Zulfiquar Memon, in a statement said that the High Court directed the State to file its reply and listed the matter on 7 December 2026; until then, the Leave India Notice remains stayed.
"The Hon’ble Chief Justice has asked Mr Khan to tender an undertaking that, as an OCI cardholder, he will not participate in any future protest in any form, along with an unconditional apology for anything he may have unintentionally said about the protests on social media or to the media," the statement read.
"We maintain that Mr Khan has no intention of participating in any protest and has never been affiliated or associated with any party, agency or group conducting them. An undertaking to that effect was already placed on record," it added.
Earlier, the Bombay High Court on Tuesday kept in abeyance till November 2 a notice issued by the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) to Khan, a US citizen, which asked him to leave India by October 28.
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How Imran Khan Fell Into Legal Trouble
The 43-year-old actor participated in a demonstration in Mumbai related to the protests seeking Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation over alleged irregularities in the SIR drive on October 10, prompting authorities to detain him for berief period.
However, the actor claimed in his High Court petition that he had not participated in any gathering and had no association with the organisers of the protests. While he moved the HC on October 17, Khan also received a show-cause notice from the Foreigners Regional Registration Office, seeking a clarification as to why his OCI status should not be revoked. In his petition, the actor said the notice issued by the Mumbai police was "illegal, arbitrary, perverse and drastic".
Khan, nephew of Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan, who has starred in several Hindi films, was directed to leave the country on or before October 28, failing which deportation procedures under Section 29 may be initiated.
(With PTI inputs)