A US citizen and former Bollywood star Imran Khan has been given until 28 October to exit India after authorities deemed his presence at an anti-government rally a violation of immigration rules.
The Foreigners Regional Registration Office issued the deportation notice to 43-year-old Imran Khan. Trouble began for the actor following a 10 October demonstration at Mumbai’s August Kranti Maidan.
Protesters converged to demand the ousting of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Opposition figures claim Kumar manipulated voter rolls to benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
Police temporarily detained Khan during the gathering. Unfazed by the arrest, the actor uploaded an Instagram picture flashing a peace sign from the back of a police van.
He captioned the post, «Apparently I’m going for a drive».
Legal grey area for overseas citizens
Former BJP lawmaker Kirit Somaiya initiated the regulatory action by filing a formal complaint against the actor. Somaiya argued that foreign nationals are strictly prohibited from engaging in domestic political agitation under Indian law.
Khan resides in Mumbai under an Overseas Citizen of India card. The government scheme permits people of Indian heritage to live and work indefinitely without repeatedly applying for visas. However it explicitly forbids democratic participation such as voting or running for public office.
While the country’s immigration laws grant the government sweeping powers to deport non-citizens, legal scholars have expressed doubts about the sudden regulatory response. Experts question whether attending a peaceful assembly warrants expulsion.
Born into a prominent film dynasty, Khan is the nephew of industry titan Aamir Khan. He shot to fame in the 2008 romantic comedy «Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na» and anchored subsequent box office successes including «I Hate Luv Storys», «Delhi Belly» and «Mere Brother Ki Dulhan».
He largely stepped away from the camera following his 2015 release «Katti Batti».
It is not yet known whether the actor plans to mount a legal challenge against the order before the deadline.
