The Bombay High Court will hear actor Imran Khan’s petition on Tuesday against a Mumbai Police notice that asks him to leave India by October 28. The US citizen says the order, issued after a protest in Mumbai, is unfair and has no basis.
Hearing fixed for Tuesday
According to the PTI, the plea came up on Monday before a division bench of Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna. Imran Khan’s lawyer Venkatesh Dhond and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared for the Centre, both asked for the matter to be taken up the next day. The bench agreed to hear it on Tuesday.
What led to the notice
Imran Khan was held for a short time on October 10 at Mumbai’s historic August Kranti Maidan. The gathering there was held in support of the protest in Delhi. That protest demands the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Soon after, Mumbai Police served the 43-year-old actor with a notice telling him to leave the country by October 28.
Actor denies any link to organisers
In his petition, Imran Khan says he did not join any gathering and has no connection with those who organised the protest. He approached the High Court on October 17. He has also received a show-cause notice from the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), which wants to know why his Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status should not be cancelled.
Strong words against the notice
Khan has described the police notice as “illegal, arbitrary, perverse and drastic”. The petition, filed through advocate Zulfikar Memon and MZM Legal, says the notice “reflects patent non-application of mind and the arbitrary targeting” of Imran Khan as a public figure.It also argues that the order goes too far. “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,” the petition said.
Relief sought from the court
Imran Khan wants the notice quashed. He has also asked the court to put it on hold while his petition is pending and to stop the authorities from taking any coercive step against him.
Legal provisions cited by police
According to police, the departure order was issued under Sections 7 (2)(C) and 29 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act. These sections give the government power to restrict the movement of foreign nationals and to enforce their removal.Section 7 (2)(C) allows the government to prohibit, regulate or restrict the presence of any foreigner. It specifically lets officials order that a person “shall not remain in India or in any specified area therein.”Section 29 lets the government direct the removal of a foreign national who breaks any provision, rule or order under the Act, or in case of an adverse security report.
Deportation possible if the deadline is missed
Imran Khan, nephew of Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan, has appeared in several Hindi films. He has been told to leave on or before October 28. If he does not, deportation proceedings under Section 29 may begin.