The Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Mumbai has reportedly directed actor Imran Khan to leave India by October 28. The action follows a complaint by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kirit Somaiya, who questioned the actor's participation in a political protest despite holding a US passport and an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card. The controversy began after Khan took part in a demonstration organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar at August Kranti Maidan in Mumbai Central on October 10. Somaiya approached the Mumbai Police and asked officials to verify Khan's citizenship status. He also questioned whether a foreign national holding an OCI card should participate in a political agitation in India. According to a Mumbai Police official, the FRRO took action and served a notice on Khan, who resides in Mumbai's Khar area. "The FRRO has taken the action and a notice was served to the actor Imran Khan, who is inIndiain India on an OCI card. The actor nephew of Bollywood star Amir Khan stays in Khar and was served the notice," said a Mumbai Police official.

What Is the FRRO and Why Has It Issued the Notice?

The Foreigners Regional Registration Office is responsible for managing several aspects of foreign nationals' stay in India. Its responsibilities include registration, movement, departure, visa extensions and other immigration-related matters. The agency functions under the Bureau of Immigration, which comes under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. It also works closely with the police to enforce immigration regulations. In this case, the FRRO's action followed Somaiya's complaint regarding Khan's citizenship and involvement in the protest. The reported notice has directed the actor to leave India by October 28.

Kirit Somaiya Questions Imran Khan's Participation in Political Protest

BJP leader Kirit Somaiya urged the Mumbai Police to investigate Khan's citizenship status and determine how long he had held American citizenship. According to news agency PTI, Somaiya argued that the actor was born and educated in the United States but had earned his livelihood in India while "participating in political and diplomatic activities opposing the government," he said. Somaiya said he had asked the authorities to examine Khan's citizenship details and welcomed the subsequent action. "I had sought a report on how long Imran Khan had been a US citizen," Somaiya said, adding that he was grateful to the authorities for taking action. The complaint brought attention to Khan's participation in the demonstration and raised questions about the rules governing the political activities of foreign citizens and OCI cardholders.

Imran Khan Says He Joined the Protest as a Citizen

During the demonstration, Imran Khan explained that he had not attended the protest with a specific set of demands. Instead, he said he had participated in his capacity as a citizen and as someone who lives in Mumbai. The actor said he wanted to understand why freedom of movement was being restricted and why people were unable to express their views freely. “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. His remarks became part of the wider discussion surrounding the protest, which called for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Imran Khan and Family Members Detained During Demonstration

The protest also resulted in the detention of several people, including Imran Khan, his girlfriend Lekha Washington, his mother Nusrat and his niece Zayn (Marie). According to the report, they were among approximately 400 people detained during the demonstration at August Kranti Maidan. The protesters were demanding Kumar's resignation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The allegations were linked to concerns about the revision process, which became a central issue during the protest. Following the incident, Zayn shared a video in which she alleged that police personnel had assaulted and manhandled her during the detention. She also showed bruises that she said she had suffered during the incident. The allegations added another dimension to the controversy surrounding the demonstration and the police action against protesters.

FRRO Notice Puts Focus on Actor's Immigration Status

The reported notice directing Imran Khan to leave India by October 28 has brought his immigration status and participation in political demonstrations into focus. The action followed Somaiya's complaint and the authorities' response to questions about the actor's US citizenship and OCI status. Meanwhile, Khan's comments at the protest highlighted his stated reasons for joining the demonstration. The episode has drawn attention to the intersection of immigration rules, OCI status and participation in political activities in India.