IndiaImran KhanMumbai ProtestsOCIHigh Court
Actor Imran Khan Files Petition Against Mumbai Leave-India Notice, Demands Hearing
Published: October 17, 2026
Actor Imran Khan, an American citizen with an OCI card, filed a writ petition in the Bombay High Court on October 14, challenging a leave‑India notice issued after his visit to Mumbai's August Kranti Maidan on October 10. The court will hear the case next month, while the notice remains in effect, forcing Khan to leave India by October 28 unless overturned.
Khan, who has lived in Mumbai since age two, was stopped by police at August Kranti Maidan on Oct. 10 after a protest wave over alleged BJP election fraud. He told officers he was only curious about the crowd, and complied when told the area was closed.
Police then detained him and his family and later released them. The Gamdevi police registered an FIR naming Khan as an accused, alleging he gathered 350‑400 people at 3:30 p.m., a claim that the petition disputes as unfounded.
Khan’s lawyer said the show‑cause notice was issued after the petition, but the court will review its contents. The lawyer also noted Khan has no affiliation with any protest organization.
The leave‑India notice, issued under the 2025 Immigration and Foreigners Act, orders Khan to depart by Oct. 28 and was issued without a prior hearing. The Bombay High Court is scheduled to hear the petition on November 20, after which a decision will determine whether Khan can remain in India.