Actor Imran Khan moves Bombay High Court against notice to leave India; hearing today

The Bombay High Court will hear actor Imran Khan's petition today, Tuesday, October 27. The 43-year-old actor has filed the petition against a notice from the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO), Mumbai. The hearing was earlier due on Monday, October 26, but was put off by a day.

Khan is an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholder and lives in India. In a writ petition, he has challenged a Leave India Notice (LIN) dated October 10, which asks him to leave India on or before October 28. The petition questions the procedure adopted by the FRRO.

The notice alleges that Khan violated the Immigration and Foreigners Act by taking part in a protest. The protest demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The action followed an October 12 police complaint by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya.

On Monday, the matter came up before a division bench of Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna. Khan's counsel Venkatesh Dhond and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Union government, both asked for the matter to be listed for Tuesday. The court agreed.

On October 10, Khan was seen being taken away in a police van near August Kranti Maidan. On social media he was seen flashing a victory V sign from inside the van, with the caption: "Apparently, I am going for a drive."

In the petition filed in the High Court on October 17, Khan claims he neither took part in the gathering nor has any connection with its organisers. According to the petition, it is a case of "patent non-application of mind and the arbitrary targeting" of a public figure.

The petition says: "Not only is the notice manifestly disproportionate; if implemented, it would reduce the very principles of natural justice that the authorities are duty-bound to uphold, to nothing but a dead letter." It seeks to have the notice quashed.