Actor Imran Khan, a US citizen and an OCI cardholder, on Saturday filed a petition in the Bombay High Court challenging a notice issued by the Mumbai Police directing him to leave India by October 28 for allegedly violating rules by participating in a political demonstration. The actor, who holds a US passport and an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card, was issued the notice following his participation in a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Imran’s plea before Bombay HC
The latest update from news agency PTI states that the 43-year-old actor, in the plea filed through his advocate Zulfiquar Memon and MZM Legal, termed the notice as “illegal, perverse, drastic and bad in law.” The plea stated that there is no provision under the current law or statutory rules that prohibits an OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) cardholder from participating in a peaceful protest.
The plea is expected to be mentioned for an urgent hearing before a division bench comprising Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna. “The notice has been issued without disclosing any reasons, supporting material, or specific statutory contravention. It was issued without inquiry, a show-cause notice, or any opportunity for the Petitioner (Khan) to respond to the alleged violations,” the plea said.
About his detention
The controversy dates back to October 10, when Imran, nephew of Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan, participated in a demonstration organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). The protest called for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Imran and his girlfriend, Lekha Washington, were detained by Mumbai Police during the demonstration.
Following his detention, Imran shared a photograph on social media that appeared to show him inside a police van. He captioned it, “Apparently I’m going for a drive”. Speaking to the media at the protest, the actor explained why he had joined the demonstration. “I don’t have demands. I’m here as a citizen, as a person who lives in this city. I’m here to see why freedom of movement is being restricted, why people’s voices are being suppressed,” he said.
At the protests, Imran Khan said he was not present at the protests with any specific demands, but had come forward in his capacity as “a citizen”. He said he wanted to understand why freedom of movement was being restricted and why people’s voices were being suppressed.
“I don’t have demands. I am here as a citizen, as a person who lives in this city. I am here to see why freedom of movement is being restricted. Why are people’s voices being suppressed? That is why I am here,” the actor said in the video widely circulated on social media.
The actor, his girlfriend Lekha Washington, his mother mother Nusrat, and niece Zayn (Marie) were detained along with 400 people at during the protest, demanding the resignation of CEC Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Zayn later said in a video that she had been assaulted and manhandled by the police and showed her bruises that she suffered while she was detained.