The Bombay High Court has stayed a directive from the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) ordering actor Imran Khan to leave India by October 28. The interim order provides Khan immediate legal protection against deportation until the next scheduled court hearing on November 2.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna ordered the suspension after the Central government requested additional time to formulate its response. During the proceedings, Senior Advocate Venkatesh Dhond, representing Khan, highlighted the imminent departure deadline stipulated in the administrative order. In response, the Additional Solicitor General, appearing on behalf of the Centre, assured the bench that no coercive measures would be enforced against the actor prior to the upcoming hearing, as reported by Bollywood Hungama.
Origins of the FRRO Notice and Legal Grounds
Khan moved the High Court on October 17 to quash the FRRO’s October 14 "Leave India Notice." His petition additionally sought protection against coercive detention, lookout circulars, and interference with his status as an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI).
The administrative order followed Khan's brief detention by law enforcement authorities after he participated in demonstrations concerning Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The event also prompted a police complaint from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kirit Somaiya, alleging violations of public order regulations.
In his writ petition, Khan maintained that the expulsion directive was an arbitrary reaction to his presence at the protest site. The filing argues that immigration authorities acted hastily without affording him a mandatory pre-decisional hearing, contending that external political pressure and coordinated online campaigns influenced the administrative action. Khan's counsel argued that the authorities completely bypassed statutory procedural safeguards guaranteed under Section 7D of the Citizenship Act, which governs the conditions and processes for cancelling OCI registrations.
Procedural Roadmap and Regulatory Actions
On October 17, the FRRO separately served a show-cause notice under Section 7D regarding the prospective cancellation of Khan’s OCI registration. According to court records documented by legal observers, that secondary show-cause communication has not been formally challenged within the current writ proceedings.
The Bombay High Court's interim order keeps the deportation timeline entirely frozen, barring immigration authorities from initiating deportation proceedings until the Union government submits its reply on November 2.
| Date | Procedural Milestone | Authority / Party Involved |
|---|---|---|
| October 14 | Issuance of initial "Leave India Notice" | Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) |
| October 17 | Writ petition filed to quash expulsion; Section 7D show-cause notice issued | Imran Khan / FRRO |
| October 28 | Original administrative deadline mandated for departure from India | FRRO Directive |
| November 2 | Next scheduled High Court division bench hearing; interim stay remains active | Bombay High Court Bench |
