With actor Imran Khan facing an October 28 deadline to leave India, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke has turned the spotlight on the Hindi film industry. In a pointed Instagram story, he challenged Bollywood to speak up for one of its own: “Bollywood, speak up! If not for anyone else, at least stand up for one of your own!”
Why Imran Khan was served notice
The notice was the result of a complaint by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya. After Imran was detained at the morcha, Somaiya alleged that the actor is a United States citizen and that his participation in the demonstration breached the Act.
The police told The Indian Express how the complaint reached immigration authorities. “A complaint was filed at Gamdevi police station stating that Imran Khan had breached the Foreigners Act. The complaint was forwarded to [the] FRRO department,” the police said.
The FRRO then acted on it. “The FRRO notice states that he is a resident of the USA and he has violated the act and has been asked to leave the country by October 28,” an officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Indian Express.
Khan heads to court
The actor plans to fight the notice, which cites an alleged violation of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025. His legal team told the newspaper that a petition to the Bombay High Court is being prepared and should be registered by Friday or Monday.
The protests behind the row
The Mumbai demonstration Khan attended followed the CJP’s October 10 protest in Delhi. Tushar Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi’s great-grandson, backed the movement by organising the Mumbai gathering at August Kranti Maidan. Mumbai Police detained him and his daughter, Kasturi Gandhi, saying permission for the protest had been refused.
Why Imran was there
Imran did not arrive at August Kranti Maidan to lead a rally. According to his partner, actor Lekha Washington who posted on Instagram, a small group set off on foot around 5 pm on Saturday: Imran, Lekha, actor Zayn Marie, Imran’s mother Nuzhat, and a few others. Their aim was simple. Some of their friends had been picked up by police during demonstrations that day, and the group wanted to find out what had happened to them.
When they reached the ground, Lekha says, there was no crowd to join. There were barricades on every side and a large media contingent, which quickly closed in on the actor.
Imran had made it clear that he was not speaking for any movement. “I don’t have demands. I am here as a citizen, as a person who lives in this city,” he told reporters. “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.”