Imran Khan gets 15 days to answer second FRRO notice

Imran Khan’s OCI status has suddenly become a legal countdown. Mumbai’s Foreign Regional Registration Office (FRRO) has issued the actor a second notice, giving him 15 days to explain why his Overseas Citizen of India card should not be cancelled. The case is now racing on two fronts: a possible deportation order and the possible loss of the card that allows him to stay.

A second notice, even as the first is challenged

The fresh show-cause arrives while Khan is already contesting an earlier “Leave India” direction in the Bombay High Court. That order, from the Mumbai FRRO, identifies him as a US national holding OCI status and asks him to depart by October 28, 2026.

Khan approached the High Court on Saturday, October 17, calling the expulsion arbitrary and pointing to procedural lapses.

What triggered the action

The FRRO’s move follows Khan’s participation in an October 10 Mumbai demonstration demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The protest was called by author Tushar Gandhi in support of the Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms. Khan attended with his cousin Zayn Marie and girlfriend Lekha Washington; Mumbai Police detained the group that evening and released them later.

The FRRO notice alleges violations of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, and warns of prosecution if he does not leave by the deadline.

Due process is the heart of the challenge

The actor’s petition says the original order gave him 14 days to leave without a prior inquiry, show-cause notice or hearing. It also argues the FRRO treated him solely as a US national, overlooking his lifelong residency rights as an OCI cardholder. His lawyers are essentially asking the court to restore the steps the order skipped.

• The direction does not say which provision he allegedly breached.
• It gives no detail of how or when a violation happened.
• It bypasses the hearing process before asking him to leave.

Why this matters for OCI cardholders

An Overseas Citizen of India card normally gives a foreign national long-term residency in India without routine visa requirements. The case tests how much legal weight that status carries when an OCI holder is present at a public protest. For the film industry, where many artists hold foreign passports, the outcome will be watched closely.

Public support has grown. Filmmaker Kiran Rao wrote on Instagram that Khan is “43 years old” with 40 of those years spent in India. Actor-comedian Cyrus Broacha told India Today he found the move “ridiculous,” saying the right to dissent and protest should be protected in a democracy.

For now, the clock is on. The FRRO will decide whether to cancel his OCI status after receiving his response, while the Bombay High Court’s view on the earlier order could set a wider precedent.

Source: India Today